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Tennis: Sabalenka embracing top seed status at WTA Finals

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Belarus" s="" Aryna="" Sabalenka="" hits="" a="" return="" to="" Ajla="" Tomljanovic="" of="" Australia="" during="" their="" singles="" second="" round="" match="" at="" the="" VTB="" Kremlin="" Cup="" tennis="" tournament="" in="" Moscow="" on="" October="" Natalia="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/11/10/20211110_arya.jpg"/><figcaption>Belarus&#x27;s Aryna Sabalenka hits a return to Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia during their women&#x27;s singles second round match at the VTB Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow on October 20, 2021. Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP.</figcaption></figure></div>GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Aryna Sabalenka says she is relishing her top seed status at this week&#x27;s WTA Tour Finals even if she is still getting to grips with the challenging tournament conditions at altitude in Guadalajara.The Belarusian star Sabalenka heads a depleted field at the season-ending tournament, which was moved to Mexico from its usual home in Shenzhen, China due to the pandemic.The switch in venue means the tournament&#x27;s eight finalists must adjust to the thin air of Guadalajara, which is around 5,100 feet (1,550 metres) above sea level, as they vie for the final title of 2021.The 23-year-old Sabalenka, who notched wins in Abu Dhabi and Madrid this year and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, said she had struggled to control the ball during her initial practice sessions in Guadalajara.&quot;Well, first day I arrived here, I mean, I wasn&#x27;t surprised but I was shocked that I cannot control anything,&quot; Sabalenka said Tuesday. &quot;I was playing around the strings a little bit, found the perfect tension. I think with every day I feel better and better.&quot;I have another day because I start to play Thursday so I feel much better right now with the altitude and with the conditions here. Hopefully I&#x27;ll be able to show my best on the first match,&quot; she said.Sabalenka, who opens her campaign against Spanish seventh seed Paula Padosa on Thursday, said she is unfazed by the pressure that comes with her top seed status.&quot;I think I&#x27;m doing well with the pressure,&quot; she said. &quot;I&#x27;m really happy to be here, especially top seeded. I couldn&#x27;t imagine one day I will be top seeded on the WTA Finals. For me this is something amazing and unbelievable.&quot;Sabalenka&#x27;s final weeks of the season were jolted after she tested positive for Covid-19, forcing her to withdraw from Indian Wells. &quot;For four days I was really sick, I couldn&#x27;t move,&quot; Sabalenka said. &quot;I didn&#x27;t have taste, I didn&#x27;t have smell. Wasn&#x27;t really an amazing time.&quot;The eight finalists in Guadalajara have been split into two groups of four, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the semi-finals.Sabalenka plays Greece&#x27;s Maria Sakkari, Poland&#x27;s Iga Swiatek and Spain&#x27;s Badosa in the group stage.The other side of the draw sees Czechs Barbora Krejcikova and Karolina Pliskova grouped with Spain&#x27;s Garbine Muguruza and Estonia&#x27;s Anett Kontaveit.Pliskova revealed Tuesday she has is also having to make rapid adjustments due to playing at altitude.&quot;You feel a bit heavier breathing,&quot; the third seed said. &quot;The balls are bouncing quite high. That has been something I was struggling with a bit this week.&quot;© Agence France-Presse

Aryna Sabalenka is relishing her top seed status at this week's WTA Tour Finals even if she is still getting to grips with the tournament conditions.