Aryna Sabalenka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka at the 2024 Washington Open
Full name	Aryna Siarhiejeŭna Sabalenka
Native name	Арына Сяргееўна Сабаленка
Country (sports)	Belarus
Residence	Miami, Florida, US
Born	(1998-05-05) 5 May 1998 (age 27) Minsk, Belarus
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Turned pro	2015
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Anton Dubrov
Prize money	US $42,300,521 4th in all-time rankings
Official website	arynasabalenka.komi.io
Singles
Career record	473–198
Career titles	21
Highest ranking	No. 1 (11 September 2023)
Current ranking	No. 1 (21 October 2024)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2023, 2024)
French Open	F (2025)
Wimbledon	SF (2021, 2023, 2025)
US Open	W (2024, 2025)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2022)
Olympic Games	2R (2021)
Doubles
Career record	90–67
Career titles	6
Highest ranking	No. 1 (22 February 2021)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	W (2021)
French Open	SF (2019)
Wimbledon	QF (2019)
US Open	W (2019)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	RR (2019)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon	2R (2019)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	F (2017)

Aryna Siarhiejeŭna Sabalenka (born May 5, 1998) is a professional tennis player from Belarus. She is currently the world No. 1 in women's singles by the WTA. She was also once ranked No. 1 in doubles. Aryna has won 21 singles titles on the WTA Tour. This includes four major championships, called majors: two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open. She also won nine WTA 1000 events. In doubles, she has six titles. These include the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open, both with her partner Elise Mertens.

Aryna became well-known in 2017. She helped the Belarus Fed Cup team reach the finals, even though she was not highly ranked. She finished 2018 and 2019 ranked No. 11 in singles. After reaching two major semifinals in 2021, she rose to world No. 2. In 2023, she won her first major singles title at the Australian Open. She also became the world No. 1 and was named the ITF World Champion.

Aryna successfully defended her Australian Open title in 2024. She also won the US Open that year, finishing as the year-end No. 1. In 2025, she defended her US Open title again. She also reached the finals of the Australian and French Opens.

Aryna began playing doubles regularly in 2019. With Elise Mertens, she quickly won big tournaments. They won the "Sunshine Double" (Indian Wells and Miami) in 2019. After winning the US Open doubles title, she qualified for the WTA Finals. With the 2021 Australian Open doubles title, Aryna became the world No. 1 in doubles. After this, she focused mainly on playing singles.

Aryna plays with a powerful and aggressive style. She often hits many winners. She also has a very strong serve.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Aryna Sabalenka was born in Minsk, the capital city of Belarus. Her father, Sergey, was an ice hockey player. Aryna started playing tennis by chance. She once shared that her dad saw tennis courts while driving. He took her there, and she loved it. She began training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk in 2014. In 2015, she focused on professional events instead of junior tournaments.

Rising Through the Ranks

Junior Tennis Journey

Aryna started playing junior tennis a bit later than some. She competed in European tours for younger players. She did not play in major junior tournaments. Her highest junior ranking was No. 225. She won her first junior doubles title in Belarus in 2013. In 2014, she won her first junior singles title in Finland.

Professional Debut and Early Wins (2012–2016)

Sabalenka began playing professional matches in 2012. She won her first titles in 2015. These included two $10k events and one $25k event. This helped her enter the top 300 WTA rankings. In 2016, she made her Fed Cup debut. She also won two $50k titles. This moved her into the top 200 in the world. She finished 2016 ranked No. 137.

Breaking into the Top 100 (2017)

Sabalenka at the 2017 Washington Open

In 2017, Aryna played in her first WTA Tour main draw. She won her first WTA match at Wimbledon. This was her Grand Slam debut. She also beat a top-ranked player at the Washington Open. Later, she reached her first WTA semifinal at the Tashkent Open. A few weeks later, she made her first WTA final at the Tianjin Open. She lost to her idol, Maria Sharapova. This success helped her enter the top 100 rankings. She finished the season by winning the Mumbai Open, a WTA 125 event.

Becoming Newcomer of the Year (2018)

Sabalenka at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships

In 2018, Sabalenka played mostly on the WTA Tour. She reached her second career final in Lugano. This put her into the top 50 for the first time. She had strong results on grass courts. She reached the final at the Eastbourne International. There, she beat her first top-ten opponent, Karolína Plíšková. Aryna then had a great summer on hard courts. She reached the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open. She beat two more top-ten players there. A week later, she won her first WTA Tour title at the Connecticut Open. She also reached the fourth round of the US Open. She upset world No. 5 Petra Kvitová. Later, she won her biggest title at the Wuhan Open. She finished the year ranked No. 11. She was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year.

Top 10 in Singles, No. 2 in Doubles (2019)

In 2019, Aryna won three more WTA titles, all in China. She started the year by winning the Shenzhen Open. She reached the top 10 rankings after the Australian Open. She struggled in Grand Slam singles but had a strong second half. She defended her Wuhan Open title. She beat world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty there. She also won the WTA Elite Trophy.

Mertens and Sabalenka at the 2019 French Open

In doubles, Aryna started playing regularly with Elise Mertens. They quickly found success. They won both the Indian Wells and Miami Opens. These are known as the "Sunshine Double." They reached the semifinals at the French Open. They also made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Their biggest doubles win was the US Open title. This was her first Grand Slam title in any event. She reached No. 6 in doubles rankings. They qualified for the WTA Finals as top seeds.

Three Tour Titles and Top 10 Finish (2020)

Sabalenka continued her strong performance in 2020. She reached the semifinals in Adelaide. She won her third Premier-5 title at the Qatar Open. After the tennis season resumed due to the global health situation, she won two more titles. She won in Ostrava and Linz. This helped her finish the year in the top 10 for the first time.

Doubles World No. 1, Singles World No. 2 (2021)

Sabalenka at the 2021 French Open

Aryna started 2021 with a 15-match winning streak. She won the Abu Dhabi Open. At the Australian Open, she reached the fourth round in singles. She won the doubles title with Elise Mertens. This made her the world No. 1 in doubles in February 2021. She then won the Madrid Open, a big WTA 1000 event. This put her into the top 5 in singles. She reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon. She also reached the semifinals at the US Open. She achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 2.

WTA Finals Runner-up, US Open Semifinal (2022)

Sabalenka faced challenges with her serve in early 2022. She still reached the Australian Open fourth round. She found better form later in the year. She reached the final at the Stuttgart Open. She also made the semifinals at the Italian Open. She was unable to play at Wimbledon due to a ban on players from Belarus. She had a strong run at the US Open, reaching the semifinals. She also reached the final of the WTA Finals. She beat the world No. 1, Iga Świątek, in the semifinals there.

Australian Open Champion, World No. 1 (2023)

Sabalenka at the 2023 US Open

In 2023, Aryna had an amazing start to the year. She won the Adelaide 1 tournament without losing a set. Then, she won her first major singles title at the Australian Open. She defeated Elena Rybakina in a thrilling final. This made her the second Belarusian woman to win a major singles title. She rose to world No. 2. She reached the final at Indian Wells and Stuttgart. She won her second Madrid Open title, beating Iga Świątek. She reached the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon. At the US Open, she reached the final. After the tournament, she became the world No. 1 tennis player. She was named the ITF World Champion for the season.

Two Major Titles, Year-End World No. 1 (2024)

Sabalenka at the 2024 US Open

Aryna continued her success in 2024. She reached the final of the Brisbane International. She then successfully defended her Australian Open title without losing a set. She reached the finals in Madrid and Rome, both against Iga Świątek. She won the Cincinnati Open in August. In September, she won the US Open, her third major title. She defeated Jessica Pegula in the final. She also won her third Wuhan Open title. In October, she regained the world No. 1 ranking. She finished the year as the world No. 1. She was named WTA Player of the Year.

Sabalenka lifting the 2024 US Open singles trophy

Continued Success (2025)

In 2025, Aryna started by winning the Brisbane International. She reached the final of the Australian Open for the third time. She lost to Madison Keys in a close match. She won her first Miami Open title. She also claimed her third Madrid Open title, beating Coco Gauff in the final. She reached the French Open final, where she lost to Coco Gauff. She defended her US Open title, winning her fourth major. This made her the first woman to defend a US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014.

Sabalenka at a 2025 Miami Open press conference

Playing for Her Country: Fed Cup

Aryna has proudly represented Belarus in the Fed Cup. In 2017, she helped her team reach the final. They were the underdogs but played very well. Aryna won important matches to help her team advance. Even though they lost the final to the United States, their success made tennis more popular in Belarus. She continued to play for her country in 2018 and 2019. She helped Belarus stay in the top World Group. In 2019, they reached the semifinals.

Friendly Rivalries on Court

Aryna has exciting rivalries with other top players. These matches are always thrilling to watch!

Aryna vs. Iga Świątek

Aryna and Iga Świątek have played 13 times. Iga has won 8 matches, and Aryna has won 5. Their matches are known for being very exciting. A memorable match was the 2024 Madrid Open final. Iga won after a long three-set battle. Aryna won the 2023 Madrid Open final against Iga. They also played in the 2025 French Open, which Aryna won.

Aryna vs. Elena Rybakina

Aryna and Elena Rybakina have played 12 times. Aryna has won 7 matches, and Elena has won 5. Aryna won her first Grand Slam title by beating Elena in the 2023 Australian Open final. Elena won their most recent match at the 2025 Cincinnati Open.

Aryna vs. Coco Gauff

Aryna and Coco Gauff have met 11 times. Coco has won 6 matches, and Aryna has won 5. They have played in major tournaments several times. Coco won the 2023 US Open final against Aryna. Aryna defeated Coco in the 2024 Australian Open semifinals. Coco won against Aryna in the final of the 2025 French Open.

Aryna's Powerful Playing Style

Sabalenka serving

Aryna plays with a very powerful and aggressive style. She hits the ball hard from the back of the court. Her serve is very strong, often reaching speeds of 200 km/h (124 mph). This helps her hit many aces. Sometimes, her serve can be a bit inconsistent, leading to double faults. She worked with experts to improve her serve. Her groundstrokes are also very powerful and deep. She aims to take control of points and hit winners. Her coaches helped her learn to choose her shots better. Aryna enjoys playing on grass and hard courts the most. She also makes loud sounds, called "grunting," when she hits the ball. She hopes it doesn't bother her opponents.

Her Coaches and Team

Aryna has worked with several coaches throughout her career. Currently, her main coach is Anton Dubrov. She also has Max Mirnyi, a famous doubles champion, as a consultant. Her team includes a fitness trainer, Jason Stacy, and a hitting partner, Andrei Vasilevski.

Sponsors and Off-Court Life

Sabalenka sponsored by Nike for sportswear and Wilson for racquets

Nike sponsors Aryna for her clothes and shoes. They even design special outfits for her. She also uses Wilson racquets. In June 2025, she became an ambassador for IM8, a health-supplement brand.

Aryna's Personal Interests

Aryna has a tiger tattoo on her left arm. This has given her the nickname "The Tiger." She studied at the Belarusian State University. Her tennis heroes when she was growing up were Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Sadly, her father Sergey passed away in 2019. Her former partner, Konstantin Koltsov, passed away in March 2024. She has been in a relationship with Georgios Frangulis since 2024.

Political Views

Aryna has spoken about her hope for peace. She believes that no athlete supports war. She has expressed concern for people affected by conflicts. She hopes for an end to any war.

Television and Film

Sabalenka appears in the tennis docuseries Break Point. It premiered on Netflix on January 13, 2023.

Career Highlights and Statistics

Grand Slam Tournament Performance Timelines

Singles

* Received a walkover in the quarterfinals match, which does not count as a win or loss.

Doubles

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 7 (4 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2023	Australian Open	Hard	Elena Rybakina	4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss	2023	US Open	Hard	Coco Gauff	6–2, 3–6, 2–6
Win	2024	Australian Open (2)	Hard	Zheng Qinwen	6–3, 6–2
Win	2024	US Open	Hard	Jessica Pegula	7–5, 7–5
Loss	2025	Australian Open	Hard	Madison Keys	3–6, 6–2, 5–7
Loss	2025	French Open	Clay	Coco Gauff	7–6(7–5), 2–6, 4–6
Win	2025	US Open (2)	Hard	Amanda Anisimova	6–3, 7–6(7–3)

Doubles: 2 (2 titles)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	2019	US Open	Hard	Elise Mertens	Victoria Azarenka Ashleigh Barty	7–5, 7–5
Win	2021	Australian Open	Hard	Elise Mertens	Barbora Krejčíková Kateřina Siniaková	6–2, 6–3

Year-End Championships Finals

Singles: 1 (runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2022	WTA Finals, United States	Hard (i)	Caroline Garcia	6–7(4–7), 4–6

Records and Achievements

Open Era Records

• This record was attained in the Open Era of tennis.
• Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.

See also

In Spanish: Aryna Sabalenka para niños