Wimbledon begins today, which came and the second racket in the world Arina Sobolenko. A year ago she was not allowed to participate in the tournament and now she is very happy to be back and she believes that she can achieve great results. Talking about politics, that Sobolenko was harassed during Roland Garros (she even had to cancel several open press conferences), she immediately stopped in London and gave journalists an ultimatum.
“I’m not going to talk about politics. Treat him with understanding”
– What are your feelings before the tournament? “I’m happy to be here, enjoying every second of Wimbledon and I can’t wait for the first match. Before I continue, I would like to say that I am not going to talk about politics. I’m only here to talk about tennis. Please respect this. If you have questions about politics, please direct them to the WTA or tournament organizers. They can send you my answers from previous tournaments. Thank you.
Is it a personal decision or some form of pressure? – This is my personal decision.
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“A year ago, I cried when they showed Wimbledon on TV. I could not see”
– What are your emotions coming back to Wimbledon after missing last year’s tournament? – There are many emotions, I am very happy to be here again. She missed this place. I was so happy when I first arrived, I couldn’t believe I was here. Very happy.
— What are your expectations of the tournament? – I feel good, there are no expectations. The only thing is that I have to show my best tennis in every match. I hope it works (smiles).
– Have you thought about how the Paris tournament ended for you? Did it influence the preparation for Wimbledon? – A difficult tournament finale, I was very upset by the defeat. But then we talked to the team, it was a good lesson for me. I rested for a few days and began to prepare for the grazing season.
– What lesson have you learned? “Whatever happens, you can’t give up, you can’t lose easily. We must try to do something. Don’t be scared on the court, understand that whatever happens, I still have a lot of chances. This was the main lesson.
– What did you do during the tournament a year ago? Did you follow Wimbledon? – First I was on vacation, then I trained. I didn’t watch much Wimbledon. He was so upset that he couldn’t look. I cried every time Wimbledon was on TV. So last year I avoided it (smiles).
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“I firmly believe that I can perform well on grass. I already did”
– How much you need to be psychologically stable to get away from everything, from all events, to concentrate on showing your best tennis. How difficult is it? “It’s not easy, but I always tell myself that the best thing I can do is focus on what I have under control. It helps a lot not to think about anything other than tennis.
– How did they receive you at the club after you weren’t there last year? And what kind of reception do you expect from the British fans? – There are no expectations, I just hope they support me, like they did last year. That’s all.
– What is it like to return to the pitch after two years of absence? It’s not that I didn’t play grass at all, last year I had two tournaments, in Hertogenbosch and Berlin. The feelings are amazing. Wimbledon’s grass court is something, it’s perfect. Incredible sensation on the grass.
– You trained with Rybakina on center court. Both are one of the main contenders for the title, what do you think about it? “It was great training on Center Court. The court seems perfect, everything is perfect there. Excellent training with Elena, at a high level. Very good training before the start of the tournament.
– How confident do you feel now on the pitch? — I don’t like to talk about trust, for me it’s a bit strange. I just want to say that I firmly believe that I can perform well on grass. I already did. I feel good.
Let’s talk about the new Big Three. Do you think you are the favorites here or can someone else intervene in the dispute? I saw a lot of talk about the Big Three. It’s great to be one of these great players. I hope to continue achieving high results. Yes, I think we are the favorites here, but it doesn’t matter who the favorite is, it’s all about your concentration and your tennis. I am sure that if I show my best tennis, if I am focused from start to finish, I will be able to perform successfully at Wimbledon.
– You are playing Wimbledon for the first time in the status of the TBSh champion. Has your faith in Wimbledon been strengthened by that? – The Australian Open title does not affect this belief, because it does not give anything. Anyway, you have to go out on the court and show your maximum, fight. The only thing the title gives me is that now I know how to do it (smiles).
