History of Aryna Sabalenka in Timeline
Aryna Sabalenka is a Belarusian professional tennis player currently ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA. She is also a former world No. 1 in doubles. Sabalenka boasts an impressive record with 21 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including four Grand Slam victories: two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open. Additionally, she has secured nine WTA 1000 titles. In doubles, Sabalenka has won six titles, highlighted by the 2019 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open, both achieved in partnership with Elise Mertens, solidifying her position as a dominant force in professional tennis.
1978: Martina Navratilova (1978/1987 – 331 w)
Martina Navratilova (1978/1987 – 331 w).
1987: Martina Navratilova (1978/1987 – 331 w)
Martina Navratilova (1978/1987 – 331 w).
1995: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (1995 – 12 w)
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (1995 – 12 w).
1997: Martina Hingis (1997/2001 – 209 w)
Martina Hingis (1997/2001 – 209 w).
May 1998: Aryna Sabalenka Born
In May 1998, Aryna Siarhiejeŭna Sabalenka was born. She is a Belarusian professional tennis player.
1998: Natasha Zvereva Reached Wimbledon Semifinals
In 1998, Natasha Zvereva reached the semifinals of Wimbledon.
1998: Lindsay Davenport (1998/2006 – 98 w)
Lindsay Davenport (1998/2006 – 98 w).
1999: Steffi Graf defeated top 3 players
In 1999, Steffi Graf defeated the top 3 players at the French Open.
2001: Jennifer Capriati (2001/2002 – 17 w)
Jennifer Capriati (2001/2002 – 17 w).
2002: Serena Williams defeated top 3 players
In 2002, Serena Williams defeated the top 3 players at the Miami Open.
2004: Amélie Mauresmo (2004/2006 – 39 w)
Amélie Mauresmo (2004/2006 – 39 w).
2005: Maria Sharapova (2005/2012 – 21 w)
Maria Sharapova (2005/2012 – 21 w).
2006: Lindsay Davenport (1998/2006 – 98 w)
Lindsay Davenport (1998/2006 – 98 w).
2008: Venus Williams defeated top 3 players
In 2008, Venus Williams defeated the top 3 players at the WTA Finals.
2010: Caroline Wozniacki (2010/2018 – 71 w)
Caroline Wozniacki (2010/2018 – 71 w).
2011: Victoria Azarenka Reached Wimbledon Semifinals
In 2011, Victoria Azarenka reached the semifinals of Wimbledon.
2012: Began Playing on the ITF Women's Circuit
In 2012, Aryna Sabalenka began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit, participating in tournaments in her hometown of Minsk.
2012: Victoria Azarenka Reached Wimbledon Semifinals
In 2012, Victoria Azarenka reached the semifinals of Wimbledon.
2012: Maria Sharapova (2005/2012 – 21 w)
Maria Sharapova (2005/2012 – 21 w).
2013: First ITF Event and Title
In 2013, Aryna Sabalenka competed in her first ITF event at the Tallink Cup and won her first ITF doubles title at the Alatan Tour Cup with Vera Lapko.
2013: Azarenka's Australian Open Title Defense
In 2013, Victoria Azarenka successfully defended her title at the Australian Open, a feat that Sabalenka later emulated, winning the Australian Open without losing a set.
2013: Victoria Azarenka (2012/2013 – 51 w)
Victoria Azarenka (2012/2013 – 51 w).
2014: Began Training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk
In 2014, Aryna Sabalenka began training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk when it opened.
2014: Excelled at Grade 4 Events
In 2014, Aryna Sabalenka excelled at Grade 4 events, reaching her first singles final at the Estonian Junior Open and winning her first singles title at the MTV Total Junior Cup in Finland. She also defended her Alatan Tour Cup doubles title and won the singles title.
2014: First Professional Match Win
In 2014, Aryna Sabalenka won her first professional match in Istanbul.
2014: Junior Fed Cup
In 2014, Sabalenka represented Belarus at the Junior Fed Cup, where the team finished in sixth place.
2014: Serena Williams' US Open Title Defense
In 2014, Serena Williams defended her US Open title. A feat that Sabalenka later emulated in 2024.
2015: European Junior Championships
In 2015, Aryna Sabalenka played in the European Junior Championships, losing in the second round to Markéta Vondroušová.
2015: Focus on Professional Events
In 2015, the Belarusian Tennis Federation persuaded Aryna Sabalenka and her team to focus on playing low-level professional events instead of junior tournaments.
2016: Angelique Kerber (2016/2017 – 34 w)
Angelique Kerber (2016/2017 – 34 w).
2016: WTA Tour Main Draw and First WTA Tour Match Win
Despite some early season success in the Fed Cup, in 2016, Sabalenka played in her first WTA Tour main draw at the Dubai Open and won her first WTA Tour match at Wimbledon, followed by another win at the Washington Open.
2016: Fed Cup Debut and Top 200 Ranking
In 2016, Aryna Sabalenka made her Fed Cup debut, and won two $50k titles, reaching the top 200 in May and finishing the year ranked No. 137 in the world.
2016: Serena Williams' Semifinals Streak
In 2016, Serena Williams reached the semifinals of all four major events in the same year, a feat that Sabalenka later matched.
2017: Limited WTA Events
After playing relatively few WTA events in 2017, Sabalenka used her higher ranking to play exclusively on the WTA Tour.
2017: Fed Cup Runner-Up Finish
In 2017, Aryna Sabalenka, together with Aliaksandra Sasnovich, led the Belarus Fed Cup team to a runner-up finish.
2017: Belarus Fed Cup Success
In 2017, Belarus had success in the Fed Cup. Sabalenka contributed to this success.
2017: First Time on Grass Courts
In 2017, Sabalenka played on grass courts for the first time, during Wimbledon, and found that her game was suited for grass and hard courts.
2017: Serena Williams (2002/2017 – 319 w)
Serena Williams (2002/2017 – 319 w).
2018: Year-End Ranking
Although Sabalenka struggled at the Grand Slam tournaments, she ultimately finished 2018 with the same year-end ranking as in 2018 on the strength of three titles, all in China.
2018: Ranked No. 11 in Singles
Aryna Sabalenka finished 2018 ranked No. 11 in the world in singles.
2018: Grunting Mockery
At the Australian Open in 2018, the crowd mocked Sabalenka's loud grunting during a match against Ashleigh Barty.
2018: Caroline Wozniacki (2010/2018 – 71 w)
Caroline Wozniacki (2010/2018 – 71 w).
2018: Wuhan Open Title
In 2018, Aryna Sabalenka won the Wuhan Open, marking the first of her back-to-back titles at the tournament before it was suspended due to COVID-19.
2018: Ladies Open Lugano Finals
In 2018, Sabalenka reached both the singles and doubles finals at the Ladies Open Lugano on clay courts.
2018: First Matches at Premier Tournament
In 2018, Sabalenka reached two quarterfinals to begin the year, won her first matches at a Premier tournament with a third-round appearance at the Indian Wells Open, including a victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
2018: Shot Selection Improvement
In the summer of 2018, Sabalenka's coach Dmitry Tursunov helped her develop better shot selection, leading to improvements in her game.
2019: Ranked No. 11 in Singles
Aryna Sabalenka finished 2019 ranked No. 11 in the world in singles.
2019: Sunshine Double and WTA Finals Qualification
In 2019, Aryna Sabalenka began playing doubles regularly, winning the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami) with Elise Mertens and qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time after winning the US Open doubles title.
2019: Wuhan Open Title
In 2019, Aryna Sabalenka continued her success at the Wuhan Open, securing her second consecutive title at the event before its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019: Father's Death
In 2019, Aryna Sabalenka's father, Sergey, who was an ice hockey player, passed away.
2019: Coaching Changes
In 2019, Sabalenka split with Dmitry Tursunov after the US Open, then reunited later in the year, but made the split permanent at the end of the season. She then briefly worked with Dieter Kindlmann before switching to Anton Dubrov.
2019: Sudden death of father Sergey
In 2019, Sabalenka's father, Sergey, a former ice hockey player, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43 due to meningitis.
2019: Head-to-Head Rivalry with Rybakina Begins
Since 2019, Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have met 12 times, with Sabalenka leading 7–5 in their head-to-head record.
August 2020: Criticism of Belarusian government during protests
In August 2020, during the 2020-2021 Belarusian protests, Sabalenka criticized the government for its dispersal of peaceful protests and called for no violence. However, she was criticized for not advocating the protest movement's goals and praised the government for its support of sports.
2020: Most Double Faults
In 2020, Sabalenka served 166 double faults, the most of any player.
2020: Wuhan Open Suspension
In 2020, the Wuhan Open was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, halting Sabalenka's chance to defend her title for a third consecutive year.
2020: Head-to-Head Rivalry with Coco Gauff Begins
Since 2020, Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have met 11 times, with Gauff holding a 6–5 edge in their head-to-head record.
February 2021: Ascended to World No. 1 in Doubles
On 22 February 2021, Aryna Sabalenka ascended to world No. 1 in the doubles rankings for the first time in her career, after winning the doubles competition with Elise Mertens at the Australian Open.
2021: US Open Semifinals
Aryna Sabalenka made her best run of the season at the US Open in 2021. Seeded sixth, she defeated Catherine Harrison, Kaia Kanepi, Clara Burel, 19th seed Danielle Collins, and 22nd seed & former world No. 1 Karolína Plíšková to reach the semifinals, matching her previous best result from 2021. In her second-round match against Kanepi, Sabalenka came back from a set and behind in the second to win in three sets, saving two match points in the process. In the semifinals, she was defeated by world No. 1, Iga Świątek, for the fourth time this season.
2021: Rose to World No. 2 Ranking
Following two major singles semifinal appearances in 2021, Aryna Sabalenka rose to the world No. 2 ranking.
2021: Yips at the WTA Finals
From the 2021 WTA Finals into 2022, Sabalenka suffered from the yips, serving an average of 14 double faults per match.
2021: Relationship with Konstantin Koltsov
In 2021, Aryna Sabalenka began a relationship with Konstantin Koltsov.
2021: Australian Open Doubles Title
In 2021, Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open doubles title partnering with Elise Mertens.
2021: Became World No. 1 in Doubles
In 2021, Aryna Sabalenka won the Australian Open doubles title, becoming the world No. 1 in the discipline, after which she shifted to playing exclusively singles.
2021: Won Abu Dhabi Open
In 2021, Aryna Sabalenka won the title at the Abu Dhabi Open, defeating Veronika Kudermetova in the final and extending her winning streak to 15 matches, which propelled her to a new ranking of No. 7.
2021: Won title at Adelaide 1
In 2021, Sabalenka entered Adelaide 1 as the second seed and reached her first final of the season by defeating Liudmila Samsonova, Markéta Vondroušová, and Irina-Camelia Begu en route. She then defeated Czech teenage qualifier Linda Nosková to win her first title since Madrid 2021.
2021: First Clay Court Title
In 2021, Sabalenka won her first clay court title at the Madrid Open.
2021: Belarusian Protests
In 2021, during widespread protests after the disputed election, Sabalenka signed an open letter that said that sport should remain outside of politics, which was considered supportive of Lukashenko.
2021: Rivalry with Iga Świątek Begins
Since 2021, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek have played 13 matches, with Świątek leading 8-5. Their rivalry is considered one of the greatest in women's tennis.
August 2022: Second Serve Improvement
From August 2022, Sabalenka's second serve started improving after working with a biomechanics expert following the 2022 Canadian Open.
2022: Ashleigh Barty (2019/2022 – 121 w)
Ashleigh Barty (2019/2022 – 121 w).
2022: Losses at Adelaide International 1 and 2
In 2022, Aryna Sabalenka lost in the second round of the Adelaide International 1 to Kaja Juvan and in the first round of the Adelaide International 2 to Rebecca Peterson, struggling with her serve in both matches.
2022: Reached First Final of 2022 at Stuttgart Open
In 2022, Aryna Sabalenka reached the quarterfinals at the Qatar Ladies Open, her first final of the year at the Stuttgart Open, and the semifinals at the Italian Open, ultimately losing to Iga Świątek multiple times. She also lost in the third round of the French Open.
2022: Struggled to Maintain Success
In 2022, Aryna Sabalenka struggled to consistently maintain the success she achieved in the previous year.
2022: Russian and Belarusian players banned from Wimbledon Championships
In 2022, Russian and Belarusian players were banned from Wimbledon Championships.
January 2023: Appearance in Break Point
In January 13, 2023, Sabalenka appeared in the tennis docuseries "Break Point", which premiered on Netflix.
January 2023: Comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
In January 2023, Sabalenka addressed the war in Ukraine and the ban on Russian and Belarusian players from the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, stating that it was "not her fault". Her comments were criticized for lacking substance and compassion.
2023: Aryna Sabalenka (2023/2025 – 55 w)
Aryna Sabalenka (2023/2025 – 55 w).
2023: Statements at the French Open
During a press conference at the 2023 French Open, Sabalenka stated that no normal person supports the war and that she doesn't support Lukashenko right now.
2023: High Ace Ranking
In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka ranked third of all players in aces served, with 401.
2023: Won First Major Singles Title and Obtained World No. 1 Ranking
In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka won her first major singles title at the Australian Open and obtained the world No. 1 ranking, and was named the ITF World Champion for the season.
2023: Australian Open Win
In 2023, Sabalenka defeated Rybakina in three sets at the Australian Open final, securing her first Grand Slam title.
2023: US Open Final Loss
In 2023, Sabalenka lost to Coco Gauff in the US Open final, despite winning the first set.
2023: Wuhan Open Suspension
In 2023, the Wuhan Open remained suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sabalenka didn't get to defend her title.
2023: Custom Nike Garments
Starting from the 2023 US Open, Nike began to design custom garments for Sabalenka, who has been endorsed by Nike for apparel and shoes since the beginning of her career. She is also endorsed by Wilson, using Wilson Blade range of racquets.
March 2024: Death of Konstantin Koltsov
In March 2024, Sabalenka's boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, died by apparent suicide at the age of 42. Sabalenka confirmed they were separated at the time.
2024: Wuhan Open Title
In 2024, Aryna Sabalenka claimed her third Wuhan Open title, marking her second WTA 1000 victory for the season. She defeated Zheng Qinwen in three sets in the final after a comeback from a set and a break down in the semifinal against Coco Gauff.
2024: Madrid Open Final Defeat
In 2024, Iga Świątek defeated defending champion Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final after 3 hours and 11 minutes, saving three championship points.
2024: Australian Open Semifinal Win
In 2024, Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff at the Australian Open semifinals.
2024: Injury and Cincinnati Open Win
In 2024, Sabalenka retired from the Berlin Ladies Open due to a right shoulder injury and subsequently withdrew from Wimbledon. However, she won the Cincinnati Open, defeating Iga Świątek and Jessica Pegula.
June 2025: IM8 Ambassador
In June 2025, Sabalenka became a global ambassador and minority shareholder of IM8, a health‑supplement brand co‑founded by former footballer David Beckham.
2025: Aryna Sabalenka (2023/2025 – 55 w)
Aryna Sabalenka (2023/2025 – 55 w).
2025: Coaching Team
As of 2025, Sabalenka's coaching team includes Anton Dubrov, Max Mirnyi, fitness trainer Jason Stacy, and hitting partner Andrei Vasilevski.
2025: Defended US Open Title and Finished as Runner-Up at Australian and French Opens
In 2025, Aryna Sabalenka defended her Australian Open title and won the US Open. She also finished as the runner-up at the Australian and French Opens and clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking.
2025: Max Mirnyi Joins Coaching Team
In 2025, Belarusian former professional tennis player Max Mirnyi joined Sabalenka's coaching team as a consultant.
2025: Cincinnati Open Quarterfinal Loss
In 2025, Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in straight sets at the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals, where Sabalenka was the defending champion.
2025: French Open Loss
In 2025, Sabalenka faced off again with Coco Gauff in the final of the French Open, with Gauff overtaking Sabalenka for her first French Open Major Championship win.
2025: Brisbane International Title
In 2025, Sabalenka won the Brisbane International, marking the 18th singles title of her career. She defeated Polina Kudermetova in the final after a comeback from a set down.
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