Linda Noskova plans to 'get drunk and forget' disappointing loss to Aryna Sabalenka

[p]The Czech led by a break ‌in the deciding set and held an advantage in ‌the final tiebreak before eventually falling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/noskova-l-zHMiAkw6/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=8QYQMw6l"]7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (7)[/a] to the ‌two-time defending champion in a gruelling three-hour battle at ‌Arthur Ashe Stadium.[/p][p]Rather than mope about the defeat, the 21-year-old has decided to make the most of the Big Apple before heading home.[/p][p]"[b]I'm ‌going to stay for, like, three more days. ⁠I'm going to get ‌drunk and forget about this, I guess,[/b]" [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Noskova[/a] told reporters with a ​laugh. "[b]I'm old enough to do that, thankfully.[/b]"[/p][p]"[b]I love New York. I have so many places I want ​to go. I have a lot of great friends here. They will show me around and, you know, I will ⁠forget about it hopefully ​in the next couple of hours.[/b]"[/p][image alt="Match stats: Sabalenka vs Noskova" id="d899858c-796a-4193-af5f-79485f81a533" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="02227912-b0ab-48a0-82eb-240a4521b356" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]There was plenty worth forgetting after Noskova repeatedly pushed top seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a] to the limit, only to watch the Belarusian fight back in the third set and ‌prevail in the tiebreak.[/p][p]Noskova admitted she could have made different decisions at crucial moments but said Sabalenka had produced her best tennis when it mattered.[/p][p]Still, the defeat served as a reminder of how far Noskova has come since her Wimbledon breakthrough.[/p][p]"[b]I feel like I have that back,[/b]" she said of her motivation after previously struggling to find her hunger following recent success. "[b]Such loss is good for the motivation... I have ‌to take some positives from it all.[/b]"[/p][p]Despite the disappointment, Noskova ​feels she belongs among the WTA elite, having reached ‌a career-high world number six last month.[/p][p]"[b]After these matches when you're so close... it kind of reminds you of where you are standing,[/b]" she said. "[b]I will just try to keep going, you know. I feel great on court, ⁠which is always my main ⁠point, and ranking doesn't ‌really matter[/b]."[/p]