Jaya Chandran, Online Editor
Full name: Aryna Siarhiejeŭna Sabalenka
Date of Birth: 5 May 1998
Country: Belarus
Height: 1.82m
Aryna Sabalenka is the first woman to reach three consecutive Australian Open finals since Serena Williams in 2017 and the youngest to do so since Martina Hingis in 2002
Aryna Sabalenka will become the first woman since Hingis in 1999 to win the Australian Open three years in a row if she wins again on Saturday. There are only four other women who have done it - Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.
Sabalenka has won five Grand Slam titles so far. Three are singles titles: Australian Open 2023 and 2024, and US Open 2024. Her two doubles titles include a US Open win in 2019 and an Australian Open in 2021, both with Elise Mertens.
Sabalenka, who now has 18 WTA titles to her name, is also just the third player in the past decade to notch a 20-match win streak at a single Grand Slam.
Born in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, Sabalenka turned pro in 2015 and has a career earnings of $30 million so far.
Nike has been associated with her for apparel and shoes since the start of her career. She is also endorsed by Wilson.
Sabalenka considers Spaniard Paula Badosa as her ‘best friend’ and ‘soulmate’. "I hope she's still my friend. I'm sure she'll hate me for the next hour, day or two, but I'm okay with that, I can handle that," Sabalenka said after defeating Badosa in semis the other day.
"After that I think we are back to being friends, back to go out together and go shopping. I promise, Paula, we go shopping and I pay for whatever you want," she said.
Sabalenka has a tiger tattoo on her left arm. Her two idols growing up were Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
Sabalenka’s father Sergey Sabalenka died of meningitis in 2019 at the age of 43. He was a former ice hockey player.
Sabalenka's former boyfriend and Belorussian Ice Hockey player Konstantin Koltsov apparently died of suicide in March 2024 after jumping off a luxury resort in Miami. They were separated at the time of death.
People magazine reported that Sabalenka is currently dating Georgios Frangulis, a Brazilian businessman and entrepreneur who founded the superfood brand Oakberry.