World number two Aryna Sabalenka is set to make her return to the court at the China Open, marking her first appearance since her triumphant U.S. Open victory. The Belarusian star revealed on Tuesday that her primary objective for the remaining weeks of the season is to reclaim the top ranking. At 26, Sabalenka has already secured her third Grand Slam title this month, following her consecutive Australian Open wins, and is poised to be the top contender for the Beijing title, especially with the reigning champion, Iga Swiatek, absent due to personal reasons.
Sabalenka briefly held the number one spot last season but was subsequently overtaken by Poland's Swiatek. She emphasized her focus on delivering strong performances during the Asian swing to enhance her chances of achieving her goal. 'Of course, finishing the season as world number one is one of my goals,' Sabalenka stated to the media. 'I'm not fixating on that; I'm concentrating on my game. There are three tournaments left, and I aim to play my best tennis on court.' She added, 'After the season, I'll evaluate whether it was enough to end the year at the top or if there are areas I need to improve... Being recognized as the best player in the world carries significant weight.'
Sabalenka has already secured her spot in the season-ending WTA Finals, alongside Swiatek, and is keen to enter the Nov. 2-9 event with a string of victories. 'It's crucial to perform well here before the WTA Finals, to have these matches under your belt before heading to the Finals. There's a three-week gap between Wuhan and the Finals,' Sabalenka explained. 'If you don't reach the later stages of the tournaments here, you face a substantial gap, which isn't ideal before the year's final tournament.' The Beijing tournament is scheduled from Sept. 25 to Oct. 6.
