Biography
Aryna Sabalenka, born on May 5, 1998, in Minsk, Belarus, became one of the top tennis players of her time, gaining the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles. Known for her aggressive style and powerful groundstrokes, she's been successful on all surfaces, especially hard courts.
Sabalenka's big break came in 2017 when she and Aliaksandra Sasnovich led Belarus to a runner-up finish in the Fed Cup, despite both being ranked outside the top 75. This performance highlighted her as a major talent. She moved up the rankings, finishing 2018 and 2019 at world No. 11 in singles and establishing herself as a top player in women's tennis.
Her doubles career took off alongside her singles success. Starting regular doubles play in 2019, Sabalenka teamed up with Belgian player Elise Mertens. They quickly made a mark by winning the Sunshine Double at Indian Wells and Miami that year. The duo went on to win major titles at the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open. After their second Grand Slam title together, Sabalenka reached the world No. 1 doubles ranking before choosing to focus solely on singles.
From 2021 to 2026, Sabalenka rose to the top of singles tennis. She reached two major semifinals in 2021 and briefly held the world No. 2 ranking but faced some ups and downs in 2022. However, 2023 was her breakthrough in Grand Slam singles, winning the Australian Open and reaching the US Open final, which pushed her to world No. 1. She solidified her spot by winning the Australian Open again in 2024 and securing a third major at the US Open, finishing as year-end No. 1. Her strong performance continued in 2025 as she defended her US Open title and reached finals at the Australian and French Opens, keeping the top ranking all season. By 2026, she had reached eight major singles finals and completed another Sunshine Double, marking her as one of the greatest players of her time.
Before Fame
Before gaining international recognition, Sabalenka honed her tennis skills in Belarus when the country was producing notable tennis talent. Her early career benefited from increased investment in sports facilities in Belarus and more opportunities for young athletes to compete abroad.
Her journey to success involved consistent progress through junior and lower-level professional tournaments. Teaming up with fellow Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the 2017 Fed Cup played a key role in her career, highlighting her ability to perform under pressure in team competitions, even though her ranking was relatively low at the time.
Key Achievements
- Won four Grand Slam singles titles including two Australian Opens and two US Opens
- Achieved world No. 1 ranking in both WTA singles and doubles
- Won 11 WTA 1000 events and 24 WTA Tour-level singles titles
- Completed the Sunshine Double in both singles and doubles disciplines
- Finished as year-end world No. 1 in singles
Did You Know?
- 01.She won her first WTA doubles title and singles title in the same year, showcasing her versatility across both disciplines
- 02.Sabalenka has won the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami) in both singles and doubles, achieving this feat in different years
- 03.Her partnership with Elise Mertens resulted in two Grand Slam doubles titles before she transitioned to focus exclusively on singles
- 04.She successfully defended Grand Slam titles at both the Australian Open and US Open in consecutive years
- 05.Despite being from Belarus, she has played under neutral status at various tournaments due to political restrictions affecting Belarusian athletes