Aryna Sabalenka ahead of high-stakes WTA Finals clash - “I really wanted to play against Iga Swiatek to decide who is World No. 1”

Aryna Sabalenka cannot wait to play against Iga Swiatek at the 2023 WTA Finals, a clash that could settle the race for the year-end World No. 1 spot.

Sabalenka and Swiatek are slated to lock horns in the semifinals on Saturday, November 4, in Cancun, Mexico. Interestingly, the duo met each other at the same stage in the previous edition of the year-end championships.

Sabalenka is currently ranked No. 1 in the WTA ranking with 8,425 points. She is 630 points ahead of Swiatek, who occupies the second place.

If Sabalenka manages to go past the Pole on Saturday, she will finish the 2023 season as the top-ranked player on the women's circuit.

On the other hand, Swiatek needs to first outdo Sabalenka and then win the summit clash as well to claim the pole position. The four-time Grand Slam champion lost the top spot following a pre-quarterfinal exit at the US Open in September. She had held the ranking for a staggering 75 consecutive weeks.

Ahead of their semifinal clash, Sabalenka said she yearns to seal the year-end top position with a battle against Swiatek.

"At the US Open, I didn’t want her to lose that match. I really wanted to play against her to decide who is the [World No. 1]. I have the opportunity to... not like I have opportunity to make it happen but like it's a possibility that we're gonna play for the No. 1 spot," Sabalenka said during her press conference in Cancun prior to the semifinal line-up announcement.

"I would love to play against Iga, that would be really incredible match and I hope the stadium will be full and I hope they’re gonna keep screaming Sabalenka," she added.

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Aryna Sabalenka: "I'll just focus on myself and do everything I can to keep winning"

Aryna Sabalenka at a media event: 2023 WTA Finals - Previews

Aryna Sabalenka also vowed to concentrate on her own progress at the 2023 WTA Finals. She said:

"I would say that this year I just have to focus on myself and don’t let all these thoughts, all these challenges go to my mind and kind of just destroy myself, I’ll just focus on myself and do everything I can to keep winning."

The 25-year-old expressed faith in her fighting spirit, which she believes would be good enough to carry on with the winning spree as the World No. 1.

"About finishing the year as World No. 1, of course, that is important and of course, that’s something I really want but I just try to focus on myself. I know that if I’ll be able to fight for every point and fight for everything I can to make it happen, I know that I’m able to do this," Aryna Sabalenka stated.

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have played against each other eight times to date. The Pole leads the head-to-head 5-3.