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Despite the introduction of the coaching pods Sabalenka said she prefers to have her entourage all seated together in the players box instead of on-court coaching pods.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka has opted not to use on-court seating facilities, preferring to have her sizeable entourage in the stands, even if it is a tight squeeze.
Despite the introduction of the coaching pods, albeit to much debate, two-time women’s singles defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka said she prefers to have her entourage all seated together in the players box instead of on-court.
“I like to see the whole team,” said the Belarusian.
“I want to see all the people in my box. Even if I’m not looking at each person in my box, I always look at my coach, but I still see everyone. That’s important,” she revealed.
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The coaching pods have been limited to four seats and Sabalenka opined that she’d like to get a view of her entire crew at one glance.
“Sometimes I just want to look at my boyfriend for support. I just don’t want to look at the coach first, and then look in the box because I have a lot of coaches. Four seats isn’t enough,” the Belarusian said.
“If they would make it to eight seats in the pod, I don’t know how, but it would be much better for me,” the 27-year-old stated.
She touched upon the comfort she gained in seeing her entire entourage together despite being a tight squeeze.
“We decided to put everyone in the players’ box. Maybe they were tight there and not comfortable, but I was comfortable to see all of them,” she added.
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Sabalenka, who aims to become the first woman since Martina Hingis to do a three-peat at the Australian Open is slated to take on Clara Tauson in her third-round encounter after breezing past Sloane Stephens in the first round with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph before her win over Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second in a 6-3, 7-5 victory for the Belarussian.
