Sabalenka Pledges To Play Better Ahead Of 2023 Miami Open

With the Indian Wells concluded and the Miami Open around the corner, Aryna Sabalenka has vowed to raise her game going forward.

Her pledge comes on the heels of her loss to Elena Rybakina in the final of the BNP Paribas Open in the California desert.

The Belarusian world number two was beaten 7-6 (13-11) 6-4 by the Wimbledon champion who avenged her defeat in the Australian Open final in January.

It was Sabalenka who sparked her undoing as she made 10 double faults in the opening set after leading by a break at 4-2 and holding two set points in the tiebreak. 

"There will be some days when old habits will come back and you just have to work through it," she acknowledged her mistakes after losing Sunday's final. 

"Not every match will be going your way and you will be serving perfectly. 

"I would say that I was super disappointed with my serve, so I was back to old habits. 

"I was a little bit overreacting to things and I wasn't there in the first two games in the second set."

However, the reigning Australian Open champion shrugged off the defeat, saying: "This is just another lesson, and that's OK. 

"I have nothing against that. I will learn. I will come back better."

She is expected to return to action when the Miami Open commences on March 21.

But her tournament will open against either Sloane Stephens or Shelby Rogers after a bye in the first round.