World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka met the media in Berlin before the start of the WTA 500, two weeks after a Roland Garros quarterfinal in which she lost the final ten games to Diana Shnaider from a set and a double break up. Much of the conference came back to that result and how she has spent the time since, though she also looked ahead to a grass season in which she has never won a title and welcomed Serena Williams back to the tour. TennisRatio asked her about last year's deciding-set tiebreak win over Elena Rybakina in Berlin.

Sabalenka recalls last year's tiebreak escape against Rybakina

TennisRatio: Your last season was super successful with dominant form over the whole year and Grand Slam victory. How big highlight of this campaign was your win here in Berlin over Elena Rybakina, coming back from 2-6 down in the deciding-set tiebreak?

"That was a crazy match. Honestly, I was more than sure I'd lost it, but I just kept trying. I had a feeling that I had nothing to lose anymore, and somehow I got the win. I think it was a great match, a great atmosphere, a great show for people to watch, so I really enjoyed that battle. I wish I could have continued that success in Berlin, because I went on court and lost to Marketa Vondrousova, but at least I can be proud of that one."

Sabalenka turns to her team to make sense of the Paris loss

The last time we saw you was the quarterfinal in Paris. How have you been processing that result, and what have you taken from it over the last two weeks?

"That was tough to process. We had a lot of chats with the team. I called my psychologist that I used to work with, I just felt like I needed to talk and throw out everything I've been going through over the last, I don't know how many years, and it was really helpful. I've changed a lot of things and I'm trying a lot of new things right now. I feel like I need to figure out what happens sometimes in those matches, to move on and to avoid that situation happening again. So I'm in a searching process right now. I still have a lot of belief in myself, of course, and this is just an addition to what I've been doing already. I really hope I can sort it out."

Asked whether she was changing her psychological tactics or tools, she said it was less about that than about understanding herself. "No, I try to dig deeper in my thoughts to find what's actually happening in those matches. I went through a lot of matches where I felt I'd had more opportunities and missed them. So I'm trying to dig deep in my brain, which is probably not a good idea, but let's see where it leads me."

Sabalenka hunts the one percent without overhauling her game

As world No. 1, how do you balance looking for things to repair with knowing that not everything is broken and you don't want to change too much?

"I feel like that's the key to staying at the top, always searching for that one percent that's going to bring a lot of good things and make a big impact. So I'm always searching. I know I don't have to change a lot. I know my strengths, I know my weaknesses, I try to stay clear about the whole picture, but I also want to understand myself a bit more. So I decided to dig a bit deeper. Maybe it will be a problem, and if it is, I think I have enough control to put it aside and move on. As long as you're open to something new, it's going to lead you somewhere."

Sabalenka chases a first grass title she believes is within reach

Your grass results have been strong, with semifinals and finals across the years, but no title yet. How close do you feel to your best on grass, and how much of a learning curve is left?

"I don't know why, I think I've never won a title on grass yet, that's a good one. But I feel great on grass, and I can see the benefits it gives my game. Maybe because I only play two tournaments a year on grass, because of the scheduling, I don't get enough repetition. But at the same time I feel pretty comfortable, and I feel like this is a surface where I can succeed. So let's see, maybe this is the year, who knows."

Sabalenka welcomes Serena Williams back to the tour

Serena Williams has made her comeback and is playing in Berlin too. What are your thoughts on her return?

"That's cool. People wanted it, and she has a great personality, she's a fun one to watch. It's going to create excitement around tennis and around her, and bring more eyes on the sport. So I'm happy to see her back."

Sabalenka keeps a rain delay simple

How do you usually spend a rain interruption during your matchdays?

"It's something you can't control, so there's no point wasting energy on it. It's all about how you manage your energy. When it's raining, we see how bad it is, and then I just go back to the hotel and chill. If it's not under your control, you don't have to overthink it."