WASHINGTON: Two-time reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenkova returns to competition at the WTA Washington Open this week after taking a month off due to a shoulder injury.
And the world number three expects to be as ready as her rivals, who are now playing at the Paris Olympics, when the US Open begins on August 26.
“There's still a way to go to the US Open.” I have a feeling that they will be ready,” said Sabalenka. “They'll probably take a break. They won't play for nothing.
“In the end, it was very important for me to take a little break. I've had really tough matches since March. It was much needed. I feel mentally refreshed and more ready to go. I will be ready.”
Sabalenkova reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2021 and 2022 and advanced to the New York final last year, where she lost to the American Coco Gauff.
Washington's top seed Sabalenkova was unable to compete in the Olympics because her home country of Belarus was barred from sending athletes to Paris because of its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Sabalenka wants to return to the competition court after long rehabilitation on her right shoulder.
“I'm here because I got injured and haven't played for a while,” Sabalenka said. “I felt I needed to get my confidence and level back before going to the US Open.” So I need to play some games and that's why I'm here.''
Sabalenkova, who last played in Washington in 2017, suffered a shoulder injury last month in Berlin that forced her to withdraw from her quarter-final match.
She later withdrew from Wimbledon where she had reached the semi-finals in her two previous appearances.
“It was a very difficult decision because I have never withdrawn from a tournament due to injury,” she said. “Even when I was injured, I still played. I was still struggling, but I could play. It was my first such experience.
“But I decided to take care of my health, do a proper rehab, come back stronger. So the recovery was very difficult because for two weeks I was doing rehab, like a lot of exercises, a lot of treatments, a lot of recovery stuff.”
Twenty-six-year-old Sabalenková was off the court for a week and a half to focus on fitness.
“It felt like I'd been working out all day,” she said. “It really seems like it's time to switch off, but you're still working out, you're still doing something. It was very difficult.
Sabalenka trained in hot and humid Florida, making similar conditions in the US capital somewhat easier.
“I feel like I'm physically well prepared after Florida,” she said.
“Hopefully this injury will never bother me again and I will be able to play the next Grand Slam, which is my favorite. I really want to have a good time there.”
