WASHINGTON: Two-time reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka returns to competition at this week’s WTA Washington Open after taking a month off due to a shoulder injury. And the world number three is counting on being as ready as her rivals now playing in the Paris Olympics when the US Open begins on August 26.

“It’s still way to go to the US Open. I feel like they going to be ready,” Sabalenka said. “Probably they’ll just take a break. They’re not going to play whatever. “At the end it was very important for me to take a little break. I had really tough struggles starting from March. It was much needed. Mentally, I feel more fresh and more ready to go. I’ll be ready.”

Sabalenka reached the US Open semi-finals in 2021 and 2022 and last year advanced to the New York final, where she lost to American Coco Gauff. Sabalenka opted to skip the Olympics for scheduling reasons, preferring to prepare for the US hardcourt season instead of playing on the clay courts of Roland Garros.

Sabalenka wants to get back on the court for competition after lengthy rehabilitation work on her right shoulder. “I’m here because I got injured and I haven’t played for a while,” Sabalenka said. “I felt like I need to build my confidence back and build my level back before going to the US Open. So I need to play some matches and that’s why I’m here.”

Sabalenka, who last played in Washington in 2017, suffered her shoulder injury last month at Berlin, forcing her to retire from a quarter-final match. She later withdrew from Wimbledon, where she had made the semi-finals in her two prior appearances.

“That was a very tough decision because I never pull out from the tournament because of the injury,” she said. “Even if I was injured, I was still playing. I was still struggling, but being able to play. It was my first experience like that.

“But I decided to take care of my health, to do a proper rehab, get back stronger. So the recovery was very tough one because for two weeks I was doing rehab, like a lot of exercises, a lot of treatments, a lot of recovery stuff.”

Sabalenka, 26, was off the court for a week and a half to focus on fitness. “It felt like the whole day I’ve been doing exercises,” she said. “It feels like it’s actually time to switch off, but you’re still working out, still doing something. It was very tough.

Sabalenka worked out in hot and humid Florida, making similar conditions in the US capital somewhat easier. “I feel like physically I’m well-prepared after Florida,” she said. “Hopefully this injury will never bother me again and I’ll be able to play the next Grand Slam, which is my favorite one. I really want to do well there.” — AFP