WUHAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is back in central China's Wuhan, seeking a record-extending fourth title at the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open.

The Belarusian tennis star, who withdrew from last week's China Open in Beijing due to a minor injury, said on Sunday that she feels "physically ready to go" and eager to compete again in one of her favorite cities.

"I feel so good," Sabalenka said in her pre-match press conference. "I just didn't want to rush my body into another tournament too soon [after the US Open]. I took some extra time to recover and make sure I'm ready. Now I can assure you that I will do my best. And hopefully, I can claim this beautiful trophy again."

The 27-year-old Sabalenka, who won Wuhan Open titles in 2018, 2019 and 2024, has often spoken fondly of the city's atmosphere and fans. And this year, she got a new taste of Wuhan - off the tennis court, through cooking.

"It was a very cool experience yesterday to learn how to cook fried rice," she said. "It was fun, and I'll definitely try to cook it at home. I'll probably need to bring some good rice here back with me."

Sabalenka also shared her thoughts about how Wuhan has changed over the years. "Wuhan is different every day," she said. "Yesterday when I was driving [taking a ride] around, I saw a beautiful field of pink muhly grass, it was so big and so beautiful. I really want to go back and take pictures there. I had never noticed it before, even though I've driven [taken a ride] here every year."

As the 2025 WTA tour nears its conclusion, Sabalenka reflected on her journey this season, which has seen her hold onto the world number one ranking amid strong competition and personal growth.

"I'm really happy with my season," she said. "I've learned a lot of tough lessons, especially from the Grand Slam losses earlier this year. But those matches only made me stronger as a player and as a person. Of course, I'd love to change a couple of finals, but looking back, those experiences were needed to make me better."

Sabalenka, who became world No. 1 in 2023 and reclaimed the top spot in 2024, said she was grateful her rise to the top came gradually.

"I'm really grateful for the way everything happened," she said. "If I had become world No. 1 too young, I think I might not have handled it well. Over the years, I've learned how to deal with pressure, stay motivated, and feel comfortable in my position. The most important thing is to focus on improving yourself every day. When you step on court, you just want to win, and that's what matters."

"I'll keep doing what I'm doing," she said. "The goal stays the same - to improve every day, to stay at the top, and to see how far I can go." Enditem