Bai Zhuoxuan on facing Sabalenka: The world number one is not as intimidating as imagined

On January 21st Beijing time, Bai Zhuoxuan was defeated in two sets by Sabalenka in the second round of the women's singles. Post-match, she shared with Chinese media her insights on competing against the world number one and stated that this Australian Open run has strengthened her confidence, convinced that she can aim for a better world ranking.

Bai Zhuoxuan during the interview

Discussing her match against Sabalenka at Rod Laver Arena, Bai Zhuoxuan frankly said she felt great: “I was quite happy. First, because I was playing against the world number one, and second, it was on the biggest court at the Australian Open. It was a valuable experience for me. She made many winners early on and performed very well; there wasn’t much I could do, which is why she’s the world number one. Of course, as everyone saw, I managed to fight back a bit later.”

Bai Zhuoxuan acknowledged that Sabalenka truly possesses the level of a world number one but is not invincible: “Even as the world number one, she experiences some ups and downs and changes in mindset. She’s not as scary or unbeatable as I initially thought. However, I must say her skills and abilities genuinely justify her top ranking, especially her capacity to seize crucial points.”

Wu Yibing listens to Bai Zhuoxuan’s interview

Compared to her match against then top-10 player Jabeur on Court 1 at Wimbledon 2023, Bai Zhuoxuan admitted she felt much less nervous facing a top player this time.

“When I played Jabeur at Wimbledon last time, I was really nervous. This time, I wasn’t. I showed my tennis and did what I could. On court, I encouraged myself and displayed a strong mental attitude. I wasn’t afraid of the match just because she’s the world number one. I’ve also gotten used to playing on big courts. More than anything, I cherished the chance to compete against one of the world’s best.”

Having qualified and reached the second round in her first Grand Slam since returning, Bai Zhuoxuan gained significant confidence and motivation: “Everyone believes I have the ability to return to the top 100 and regain my previous level. But rankings are the best proof. When you see your ranking improve step by step, returning to Grand Slam main draws and the top 100, you develop new self-awareness and confidence. Winning matches in qualifiers and main draws definitely boosts my confidence because it proves I can reach this level and have the chance to achieve a higher ranking.”

Regarding her upcoming tournament plans, Bai Zhuoxuan said she intends to compete domestically to improve her ranking and use her protected ranking to enter major events: “I will probably go back to China. I want to use my protected ranking (currently around 120) to enter big tournaments like Grand Slams and WTA 1000 events. So I’ll first raise my ranking at home, then choose larger tournaments to participate in. I believe I will climb back up the rankings this year.”

(Edited by Wang Fei, Photos by Huang Shangyue)