On November 29, World No. 1 WTA tennis player Aryna Sabalenka shared a picture of her father on her Instagram story. In the photo, he was wearing a Chicago Bulls t-shirt and staring straight into the camera.
Sabalenka wrote: “5 years like you’re my angel [emoji]. I miss you so much Dad”
Sergey Sabalenka introduced Aryna to tennis and was her “biggest inspiration.” Aryna speaks of him often.
“After I lost my father, it’s always been my goal to put my family name in history” 🤲
Aryna Sabalenka says she’s so “proud” to win her third Grand Slam 🎾 pic.twitter.com/VwCz7lcrTL
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 8, 2024
Sergey Sabalenka was just 43 years old when he died. He did not live to see his daughter win a Grand Slam singles title. Her first was at the 2023 Australian Open. She has two Grand Slam doubles titles, the first came at the 2019 US Open and the second was at the 2021 Australian Open.
He had to be on her mind as she finished 2024 as the World No. 1, another first in her career.
Aryna Sabalenka holding the Year-End #1 trophy for the first time in her career.
Very deserved.
🐯❤️
(via @WTA) pic.twitter.com/SGh8FslkI3
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) November 11, 2024
What Is In Store For Aryna Sabalenka In 2025
Aryna Sabalenka has to defend two Grand Slam titles (Australian Open and US Open) and is seeking her third consecutive Australian Open. Sabalenka will try to amass a points lead over World No. 2 Iga Swiatek who is not accustomed to being in that position.
The career Grand Slam is within reach. She needs to win the French Open and Wimbledon, two events where she previously made it to the semifinals. Due to her shoulder injury, she did not play Wimbledon 2024. Advancing to the latter rounds or winning Wimbledon would cement her legacy further.
She is known for her aggressive power-hitting and as a great hard-court player, but being able to win on the clay or grass would change the narrative. Sabalenka showed a bit of touch in 2024 with well-placed drop shots and other finesse plays that are new to her game.
