Aryna Sabalenka is winning big matches and lifting trophies, but behind those wins is a very personal story. The world no. 1 has opened up about how losing her father in 2019 changed her life. She shared that the loss made her turn more toward faith and helped shape how she deals with both success and pain today.
Aryna Sabalenka speaks about father Sergey Sabalenka ‘s death and how it changed her faith and mindset
Aryna Sabalenka spoke honestly in an interview with Esquire about her beliefs and how they grew stronger after her father, Sergey Sabalenka, passed away from meningitis at just 43. “I’m religious. It’s not like every Sunday in church, but I do believe in God and I believe in energy. When my dad passed away, I started to go to church more often,” she said.You often see her kneeling after matches and looking up, quietly saying thanks. That is not just a habit. It comes from a deeper place now.She also shared what that time felt like. Losing someone close is not easy, and she didn’t try to hide from it.“Going through loss, it’s important to do your work, keep yourself distracted. At the same time, it’s important to grieve, to cry, to go through the emotions. Never hold it inside, because it’ll destroy you from the inside. I was letting it go, but I was able to go on the court and practice,” she added.Her father was the one who first took her to tennis when she was just six. More than the sport, he gave her a way to think.“To stay strong no matter what, to be positive no matter what, to have fun in life no matter what. He didn’t realize he was being a good example… He was always fighting, and that’s why I have a really strong fighting spirit on the court,” Sabalenka said. That fighting spirit still shows in every match she plays.
Aryna Sabalenka skips Open Stuttgart 2026 after Miami injury, possible return at madrid open
Right now, though, Sabalenka is taking a short break from competition. She has pulled out of the Stuttgart Open after picking up an injury during the Miami Open.This comes just after a huge run. She completed the “Sunshine Double,” winning Indian Wells by beating Elena Rybakina and then taking the Miami title by defeating Coco Gauff. That made her only the fifth player to achieve that rare feat.But the busy schedule seems to have taken a toll.She has played Stuttgart five times before and reached the final four times, but never won the title. This year, she will not get that chance again.The injury has delayed her clay season start, but she is expected to return soon. For now, the Madrid Open, which begins on April 20, looks like her next possible event.Away from the court, Sabalenka stays close to her family, including her mother Yulia and younger sister Tonechka. She is also engaged to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis.
