Sabalenka discusses the differences between Rome and Madrid: "Here, everything is slower, and you have to put more effort into every rally"

Fresh off her Madrid title last Saturday, Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak to seven matches this Friday by defeating Anastasia Potapova in the second round of the WTA 1000 in Rome.

The world No. 1, who has yet to win this tournament, explained the differences she feels in gameplay compared to Madrid:

"I had to adjust my game. The playing conditions here are completely different. I’m really happy I managed to get this win. In Madrid, the ball bounces very high, whereas here, everything is lower.

Overall, everything is slower, and you have to put more effort into every rally. I’d say Rome is a more physical tournament. You have to work incredibly hard to win every point."