Aryna Sabalenka’s mother Juliya playfully teased her daughter about her Australian Open trophies.
Sabalenka secured her second consecutive Australian Open title and her second Grand Slam victory in January. Her dominant performance saw her breeze through the draw, defeating top-tier opponents like Coco Gauff and Qinwen Zheng.
After her triumph, Juliya had a humorous take on her daughter’s trophy collection, jokingly suggesting she wanted even more trophies to diversify the collection. She humorously referred to the two Australian Open trophies as “twins,” expressing her desire for “at least triplets” to expand the collection.
Sabalenka’s journey into tennis began unexpectedly. While driving through Minsk with her father Sergey, a professional ice hockey player, she spotted tennis courts in the distance and was immediately captivated.
Recognizing her passion, her parents encouraged her to pick up a racket and supported her journey to becoming the determined competitor she is today.
Reflecting on her upbringing in an interview with Vogue after her 2024 Australian Open victory, Sabalenka shared the pivotal role her parents played in instilling her fierce determination.
“My parents used to go crazy when I broke a racket. But their only demand was that I give my all and fight for every point,” Sabalenka revealed.
Her triumph in the 2024 Australian Open also realized her late father’s aspiration of seeing his daughter claim two Grand Slam titles before turning 25.
