Aryna Sabalenka doesn't stomach the 'Bye' rule: "It is not acceptable"

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Aryna Sabalenka is ready to play the WTA 1000 in Beijing, a tournament in which she will start as the new world no.1. After the final of the US Open, the Belarusian has overtaken Iga Swiatek at the top of the WTA ranking and also takes first position in the Chinese tournament draw.

Sabalenka opened at the press conference, touching on many topics, including her new status as world no.1.

She told: "It's no different. Like I said before, it's great to reach this goal, but it's not something I'm really thinking about.

I know that if I'm going to contribute with my tennis and if I'm going to play the best I can and fight for it, I'll stay there. So I feel like I don't have to focus on qualifying. There is no added pressure. Nothing has changed.

I was number 2 and now I'm number 1, it's not a big difference." The tennis player also wanted to respond to the controversy over the Bye issue, which arose after the incident in Tokyo involving her opponent in the Australian Open final, Elena Rybakina.

Aryna explained: "I don't understand the rule. Players who get byes for playing the semifinals in a lower tournament get a bye in a 1000 tournament, I don't understand it. I think you have to earn those byes. You have to do it for consistency of your game, not just for playing well in a tournament.

You have to deserve it, that's why I don't understand it and I don't agree. I'm happy for the players who made it, but I think this is not acceptable. I hope the same thing doesn't happen again later."

Sabalenka talkes about the China Open in Beijing

On the Beijing tournament, however, the world number one only had words of praise in the press conference, after the victory in the first round against Sofia Kenin.

She said: "I feel great and the conditions were really great. I feel like it really suits my game. I would say the Diamond court is slower than the rest of the hard court tournaments. I like having this break to get my shots."