Aryna Sabalenka has always been a passionate and fiery player. Sabalenka is not shy about expressing her ideas. The world No. 1 is a force to be reckoned with—racket smashes, screams, tears through tough times, the fans have seen it all. But behind this passion is a support system and a friend, Novak Djokovic. He is the calm before the storm; you’ll hardly see him lose his temper. 

She has been learning the ropes of being calm from him, and besides that secret, she also has another wish she wants to fulfill. He is not only her friend but also her “dream partner.” We aren’t saying this just for the sake of it, Aryna said it herself! She recently revealed that she is keen on playing mixed doubles with the only player to win all 4 Grand Slams at least 3 times. 

Guess what?

This is not the first time they have played together! The friends have played a match once before on Rod Laver Arena for charity, ahead of the 2024 Australian Open. As per the Tennis Letter page on X, Aryna said, “Maybe at the U.S. Open this year. He just barely asked me at the U.S. Open last year. I’m still waiting for that long message from him.. how he’d like to play with me.. how I’m his dream partner.. so I’m still waiting for the message. Never got it, so I don’t know, maybe we’re not playing”. 

Sabalenka’s bond with the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic came into the limelight in 2025 after she practiced with him, and the two spent time together socially with their partners. Over time, she has also credited Novak for helping her on and off the court whenever she seeks counsel.

That connection has continued to show up in the small moments, too. With the Australian Open currently ongoing, Sabalenka passed Djokovic’s Open Era record for the most consecutive tie-breaks won in Grand Slams, reaching 20 straight. Djokovic reacted with a playful post saying, “I’m upset right now,” turning the milestone into a light moment between two close friends.

And their bond goes beyond jokes and records. It became even more noticeable after Sabalenka lost two finals in 2025, when she turned to Djokovic for guidance to reset and improve.

And Sabalenka has never been shy about leaning on trusted friends to grow her game, which is exactly what she did again last month. She had another chance to train with Djokovic in Greece, where he currently lives.

Coming off her 2025 US Open victory, she chose to take a holiday in Athens and skipped the China Open. During that trip, she picked up a secret tactic from her long-time friend.

Aryna Sabalenka spilled the beans on a key piece of advice from Novak Djokovic.

In an interview with The National News, Sabalenka revealed the piece of advice from Djokovic that has impacted her the most. She shared how his biggest lesson was learning to stay settled and view situations with a calmer, outside perspective.

“How to stay settled and how to look at everything as if you’re looking from the outside at the situation on the court, off the court. Just to, like, be able to sit back and look at everything,” Aryna Sabalenka explained. “Kind of like it’s not you looking, it’s someone else looking at your situation. I think that’s the best lesson that you could take from Novak.”

Interestingly, Djokovic wasn’t always known for being this calm and composed. Early in his career, he often showed his emotions openly, from anger and frustration to irritation, and there were moments when he even smashed racquets and reacted strongly toward the crowd.

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One major incident happened five years ago at the 2020 US Open, when he was disqualified after accidentally hitting a lineswoman with a tennis ball. Afterward, he apologized, saying, “Turn all this into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being.”

Now, it looks like Aryna is trying to follow that same mindset shift, too. What do you think about the prospect of seeing them practice or play together again? Tell us in the comments below.