Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka, born May 5, 1998, is a prominent Belarusian professional tennis player with a remarkable career. Having achieved the esteemed title of world No. 1 in both singles and doubles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), Sabalenka has left an indelible mark on the tennis world.

Her accomplishments include securing two central singles titles at the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens and two significant doubles titles at the 2019 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open alongside her partner, Elise Mertens. Sabalenka’s trophy cabinet boasts 20 career titles, comprising 14 in singles and six in doubles.

Sabalenka rose to prominence in 2017 when she was pivotal in leading the Belarus Fed Cup team to a runner-up finish alongside Aliaksandra Sasnovich despite both players being ranked outside the top 75. Consistently performing at a high level, she concluded 2018 and 2019 as No. 11 in the world in singles. Despite facing challenges in maintaining her success in 2022, Sabalenka rebounded triumphantly in 2023.

The pinnacle of her career came in 2023 when she clinched her first central singles title at the Australian Open, reached the semifinals in all four major tournaments, and secured the world No. 1 ranking. Recognizing her outstanding achievements, she was named the ITF World Champion for the season. Sabalenka’s journey exemplifies her resilience and unwavering commitment to excellence in tennis.

Early life and background

Aryna Siarhiejeŭna Sabalenka, born in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, hails from a sporting background, with her father Sergey, a former ice hockey player, influencing her early connection to athletics. Sabalenka’s journey into tennis unfolded serendipitously. She recalled, “One day, my dad was driving me somewhere in the car, and he spotted tennis courts. So he took me there. I found a liking for it, enjoyed it, and that’s how my tennis journey began.”

In her personal life, Sabalenka sports a distinctive tiger tattoo on her left arm, leading to her affectionately being dubbed “The Tiger,” a moniker she playfully uses for herself. Alongside her tennis pursuits, Sabalenka has pursued academic interests and studied at the Belarusian State University in a sports-related program. During her formative years, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova stood as her tennis idols.

Her formal training commenced at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk in 2014 when it opened its doors. Despite being eligible to participate in junior tournaments in 2015, the Belarusian Tennis Federation advised Sabalenka and her team to shift focus towards low-level professional events. This strategic decision marked a pivotal juncture in her career, steering her toward professional tennis.

Junior career

Sabalenka’s journey on the ITF Junior Circuit took an unconventional path, as she initially engaged in competitions on the U14 and U16 Tennis Europe tours during her formative years. Unlike many peers, she did not enter the main draw of any ITF events until 2013, making her debut at the low-level Grade-4 Tallink Cup in Estonia at 15. Sabalenka did not participate in junior Grand Slam tournaments or other high-level Grade-A and Grade-1 events. As a consequence, her career-high junior ranking peaked at just No. 225.

Despite the absence of exposure to prominent junior events, Sabalenka secured her inaugural ITF title in doubles at the lowest-level Grade-5 Alatan Tour Cup in Belarus in late 2013, partnering with compatriot Vera Lapko. 2014 marked a turning point for Sabalenka as she excelled in Grade 4 events. She reached her first singles final at the Estonian Junior Open in June and clinched her first singles title at the MTV Total Junior Cup in Finland in October.

Closing the 2014 season on a high note, Sabalenka defended her Alatan Tour Cup doubles title, this time alongside compatriot Nika Shytkouskaya, and also triumphed in the singles category. Her participation in 2015 was limited to the European Junior Championships, a Grade B1 event representing the highest level of junior competition she had encountered. Despite a second-round loss to top seed Markéta Vondroušová, this tournament marked Sabalenka’s foray into more competitive junior tennis.

Professional career

From 2012 to 2016, Sabalenka embarked on her professional journey on the ITF Women’s Circuit, predating her participation in the ITF Junior Circuit. Her initial five tournaments, spanning two years in her hometown of Minsk, yielded a minor draw victory. However, she secured her first professional win in 2014 in Istanbul. The subsequent year marked a breakthrough as she clinched her first two titles in consecutive weeks in Antalya at the $10k level. Additionally, she claimed a $25k title at the end of the year, propelling her into the top 300 of the WTA rankings at the beginning of 2016.

2016 Sabalenka debuted in the Fed Cup in April, although she faced defeat in her sole match. The same year proved pivotal as she captured her two most significant titles to date at the $50k level, with triumphs in Tianjin and Toyota. These victories propelled her into the top 200 by May, and she concluded the year with a ranking of No. 137 globally.

The year 2017 marked Sabalenka’s emergence onto the broader tennis stage. Despite a subdued start, she made her presence felt with a notable victory at Wimbledon in her Grand Slam debut. This accomplishment was followed by a significant win over No. 34 Lauren Davis at the Washington Open, marking her highest-ranked victory.

Sabalenka continued to make waves, reaching her first WTA semifinal at the Tashkent Open and securing her first-ever WTA final appearance at the Tianjin Open, where she faced her childhood idol, Maria Sharapova. Although she narrowly lost in two sets, this remarkable performance elevated her to No. 76 in the rankings, marking her entry into the top 100 for the first time.

The season concluded with Sabalenka contributing to the Fed Cup and securing victory at the Mumbai Open, a WTA 125 event. These achievements solidified her year-end ranking at No. 73, showcasing the promising trajectory of her burgeoning career.

Aryna Sabalenka Player Stats

2021: World No. 1 in doubles, two major semifinals, world No. 2 in singles

In 2021, Aryna Sabalenka had a strong start, winning the Abu Dhabi Open and extending her winning streak to 15 matches. This victory propelled her to world No. 7. She reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in singles, losing to Serena Williams, but won the doubles title, becoming world No. 1. Sabalenka continued her success, winning the Madrid Open and reaching a career-high singles ranking of world No. 4.

She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal and semifinal at Wimbledon, achieving a career-high singles ranking of world No. 3. Sabalenka also won the doubles event at the German Open with Victoria Azarenka. Despite a loss at the Canadian Open, she reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 2. At the US Open, she got her second consecutive major semifinal but lost to Leylah Fernandez. A positive COVID-19 test prevented her from playing at Indian Wells.

2022: WTA Finals runner-up, second US Open semifinal

In the 2022 season, Aryna Sabalenka faced challenges early on, experiencing early exits at the Adelaide International 1 and 2 and a tough Australian Open defeat in the fourth round against Kaia Kanepi. Despite struggles, she reached the quarterfinals at the Qatar Open and made the final at the Women’s Stuttgart Open, losing to Iga Świątek. Her clay-court season saw mixed results, with early exits at the Madrid and Italian Open and a third-round loss at the French Open.

Moving to the grasscourt season, Sabalenka reached the final at the Libéma Open but lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova. However, her Wimbledon participation was barred due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players. In the US hardcourt swing, she made a semifinal appearance at the Cincinnati Open and had a strong run at the US Open, reaching the semifinals, where she fell to Iga Świątek once again.

Continuing her season, Sabalenka reached the final at the San Diego Open but fell to Donna Vekić in the quarterfinals. Despite losing at the Guadalajara Open, she qualified for the WTA Finals for the second consecutive year. At the Finals, she defeated top-ranked players Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur in the round-robin stage and Iga Świątek in the semifinals. However, she finished as the runner-up, losing to Caroline Garcia in the final. Notably, Sabalenka became the fourth woman to defeat the top three players at the same tournament in WTA history.

2023: Australian Open champion and world No. 1

In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka had a remarkable season. She started by winning the Adelaide International 1, then claimed her first major title at the Australian Open, defeating Elena Rybakina in the final. Sabalenka also succeeded in Indian Wells, reaching the final but falling to Rybakina again. During the clay-court season, she won the Madrid Open but faced an early exit at the French Open, losing to Sofia Kenin in straight sets.

Moving to the grasscourt season, Sabalenka reached the Wimbledon semifinals but was defeated by Ons Jabeur. In the US Open, she reached the final, becoming the world No. 1 after Iga Świątek’s fourth-round loss. Despite finishing as the runner-up, Sabalenka became the eighth female player to hold the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles during their career.

After the US Open, Sabalenka participated in the China Open and WTA Finals, finishing the season as the year-end No. 2. She was named the ITF World Champion in December.

2024: Second consecutive Australian Open title

In 2024, Aryna Sabalenka achieved a significant milestone by securing her second consecutive Australian Open title. Her impressive performance included a flawless run through the tournament without dropping a set, marking her as the first woman to defend the Australian Open title since Azarenka in 2013. Sabalenka garnered acclaim for her consistent and dominant displays, particularly notable victories over former world No. 2 Barbora Krejčíková (9th seed), reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff (4th seed), and Zheng Qinwen (12th seed) in her first Grand Slam final. Notably, Gauff had previously defeated Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open final. Sabalenka showcased exceptional precision in the title match by not committing double faults, a stark contrast to her previous performances in major tournaments.

Coaches

Sabalenka initially collaborated with Khalil Ibrahimov for two years until early 2018. She then partnered with former Swedish professional tennis players Magnus Norman and Magnus Tideman. Dmitry Tursunov then took on the role of her primary coach during the grasscourt season in 2018. Despite a brief split after the 2019 US Open, they reunited later in the year, but the collaboration ended permanently after the season. Sabalenka briefly worked with Dieter Kindlmann before transitioning to her longtime hitting partner and compatriot, Anton Dubrov.