By SABC Sport
28th January 2024
In the last five slams, Sabalenka has won two titles, reached another final on hard courts at the US Open and never lost before the semi-finals, while Swiateks only run to the last four saw her retain her French Open title.
Getting the better of Swiatek at Roland Garros is likely to be Sabalenkas biggest challenge but she certainly has the game for grass and, with more composure, could have reached all four finals last year.
I think last year I proved that I can play on each surface, said the 25-year-old. I think those two semi-finals I got super emotional.
I played against incredible players, and they just played an unbelievable level, but I felt like I got super emotional and I just let those semis go away.
But I definitely think that if Im going to keep working like Im working right now, and if were going to keep building what we are building right now, Im definitely able to do the same on the clay and on the grass.
So then Ill just keep working hard and hopefully this year Ill achieve the same goal.
It was a statement fortnight from Sabalenka, who did not drop a set through seven matches, with only Coco Gauff in the semi-finals taking more than five games off her.
Speaking on Eurosport, former British number one Laura Robson said: To deliver that kind of performance across the two weeks, getting better and better, I feel like the rest of the players in the locker room are thinking uh oh for the rest of the season.
There is certainly no sign of Sabalenka being happy with two titles, and the calm manner with which she demolished the rest of the field will give her rivals plenty of pause for thought.
She is now two slam titles behind Swiatek, and was relieved to escape the box of one-slam wonder.
Actually its been in my mind that I didnt want to be that player who won it and then disappeared, she said.
I just wanted to show that Im able to be consistently there and Im able to win another one. I really hope that (it will be) more than two, but for me it was really important.
Sabalenkas ambitions are shared by her coaches, with fitness trainer Jason Stacy, saying: Were the coaches in our different areas but during the match and straight after the match, were already talking about the things we need to work on.
Stacy has been walking around Melbourne Park with Sabalenkas signature written in pen by the world number two on his bald head.
It is part of the teams efforts to keep things light and fun off court, although Stacy is ready to draw the line at the next suggestion.
It might get worse actually, he said. Now theyre trying to say Ive got to get a tattoo of this on my head. Im like, I dont know about that. Every tournament we always find some thing were doing and we just kind of go with that.