Who are Aryna Sabalenka’s parents? How Sergey & Yulia Sabalenka inspired success
A multiple-time Grand Slam champion and world No 1 in both singles and doubles, Aryna Sabalenka’s status as one of the leading WTA Tour stars of her era is more than secured.
The Belarusian’s journey to the top of tennis has been far from easy, but the 27-year-old has battled through several obstacles to forge a truly legendary career, which shows no signs of slowing down quite yet.
Sabalenka’s fanbase around the world has grown significantly in recent years, but there is no denying that her family have been her key supporters, particularly her late father, Sergey, and her mother, Yulia.
Here, we look at Sabalenka’s parents and how they have motivated and inspired her tennis success.
Who is Sergey Sabalenka?
Sabalenka’s father, Sergey, had sporting ambitions of his own as a teenager and was embarking on a career as an ice hockey star until a serious car crash aged 19 derailed his dream.
However, sport remained one of his key passions, and he was instrumental in a six-year-old Sabalenka picking up a racket for the first time in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, where the family lived.
“One day, my dad was just driving me somewhere in the car, and on the way, he saw tennis courts,” said Sabalenka, speaking in a 2017 interview to First Post.
“So he took me to the courts. I really liked it and enjoyed it, and that’s how it was. That’s how it started.”
Tennis News
Aryna Sabalenka: Who is world No 1’s boyfriend Georgios Frangulis?
Aryna Sabalenka’s Grand Slam semi-final feat only 7 tennis greats can match
Sergey remained one of his daughter’s key supporters and saw her win back-to-back WTA 1000 titles at the Wuhan Open in 2018 and 2019, as well as the 2019 US Open women’s doubles title.
However, tragedy struck in November 2019 when he passed away aged only 43, reportedly of meningitis.
The following years saw Sabalenka battle through various ups and downs on and off the court, and in Break Point, she discussed the ambitions she and her father had shared.
She commented: “I lost my father four years ago. We had one dream, that before [I turn] 25, I will win a couple of Grand Slams.
“When he passed away, I started thinking too much about it. Now I’m 24 and there is zero in my pocket.”
Sabalenka would fulfil her dream by winning her first Grand Slam singles title aged 24 at the 2023 Australian Open, and has since gone on to win the 2024 Australian Open and US Open titles.
Who is Yulia Sabalenka?
Despite Sabalenka’s profile and fame, her mother, Yulia — and younger sister, Toncheka — have both managed to keep a fairly low profile.
Yulia rarely appears with her daughter and does not often appear at tournaments, though she has publicly congratulated Sabalenka after some of her biggest victories.
After Sabalenka lifted her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open, Yulia posted multiple Instagram posts with the messages “We are proud of you” and “Just my Princess”.
When Sabalenka successfully defended her title in 2024, Yulia posted a picture of the two titles with the message: “Twins — I want at least triplets!!! And we need to diversify the collection somehow.”
