On Sunday, Aryna Sabalenka marched into the quarterfinals by beating her 2019 US Open championship doubles partner, Elise Mertens, in straight sets. Afterwards, Sabalakena revealed how she plans to avenge last year’s loss to Coco Gauff in the final and how she—so far—has been able to match expectations as the 2024 tournament favorite.

It hasn’t been easy. And it won’t be easy. Her quarterfinal opponent is Zheng Qinwen, just as it was at the 2023 US Open, except this year Zheng is on a tear after winning Olympic gold in Paris.

Sabalenka said she beat Mertens by “trying to stay aggressive [and putting] her under so much pressure so I get shorter ball to finish the points. I’m super-happy to win this match. It was really tough.”

Sabalenka said she has changed both tactically and psychologically since last year’s crushing loss in the US Open final.

“There was a really tough lesson in that final match,” said the No. 2 seed. “Definitely, I improved a lot. The whole pre-season I was working a lot on the variation of my game, make sure I can come to the net and use my touch, slice, drop shots.

“It’s all about trying those things in the right moments and gain[ing] confidence so that you can do all this stuff you’ve been working on.”

“I don’t have fear that I’m going to lose my game. Muscle memory is there. Even if things go wrong with me over-trying to go for new stuff, I know that I can always come back to my basic game.”

As for the psychological component, Sabalenka said, “Mentally, since last year, I think I’m much stronger. The main thing to stay mentally healthy is to be surrounded by the right people. Whatever happen[s] in your life, you [need] people who support you, stand with you and will be there with you. When you feel that your back is covered… that’s the most important part.”

“Another trick, she said, ‘”is to enjoy.” At big tournaments, there are days off between matches, “so enjoy that day. Do your practice session, but after that, go for a good dinner, enjoy your free time and try not to think. You have to completely separate yourself from tennis. It’s easy and not easy at the same time. I think it all comes with experience.”

As for her serve—which she had so little confidence in a few years ago that she famously served underhand at a WTA 250 event in Adelaide, Australia—Sabalenka has shored that up, too.

“Two years ago I started to work with a biomechanic guy in Cincinnati,” she said. “Already in Cincinnati things started working quite well and then at the US Open I was brave enough to go for those uncomfortable serves, like the second serve.

“I told myself, ‘I just got to go through it. I got to face this fear. Just serve and see what happens.’ At the US Open, things clicked. I remember facing the fear of double faulting at the US Open. I made double faults a lot. I was like, ‘Whatever. It’s nothing new for everybody. I’ll just go for it.’

“I was facing probably break points or important points, going for that second serve. I was like, “Okay, just see what happens. I remember I did it. I won the point. I was like, ‘Hmm, this works, so I don’t have to overserve every time.’ Then another time, another time, and that’s how things get back.”

In January, Sabalenka beat Gauff in the semifinal and Zheng in the final en route to winning her second straight Australian Open title.

Looking ahead to the Sabalenka-Zheng quarterfinal (which will be a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal), it bodes well for Sabalenka that Sabalenka has been winning 89% of her service games this week. But Zheng, the No. 7 seed, leads the tournament in aces (with 49) and has been winning 80% of her points on her first serve.

Ultimately, Sabalenka said, it may just come down to what’s in her heart and head.

“I really enjoying playing on these big stadiums. I feel all the support,” she said. “I just don’t want to leave early here. I just want to stay as long as I can and enjoy this beautiful court, beautiful atmosphere.”