“It’s just like a small getaway.”- That’s what Aryna Sabalenka said about her life on social media during a TIME magazine interview in August. Whether it’s sharing funny TikTok reels with her coaching team or having fun dance-offs with Novak Djokovic at the French Open, the Belarusian’s fun and goofy side is often praised by fans. However, that does not stop the former World No.1 from having a fair share of critics who have criticized her for being too active on social media, with the Belarusian having a strong message ahead of the China Open.

“It’s okay. I feel like people judge others based on their own feelings. It has nothing to do with us. If they think that they wouldn’t be able to do that, it doesn’t mean that we cannot do it. If you love it, if you have fun with it, if you want to share yourself on social media, you have to do it. I’m at that stage where like people are going to judge you either way. She’s active or she’s not active. She’s like this and that. It’s like you’re never good enough for people,” said Sabalenka during her pre-tournament press conference at the China Open. “I feel like why would I even care about them. I don’t give a single heck.”

Playing through a rigorous schedule while having the spotlight as one of the best players in the world, Sabalenka’s need to decompress on social media is quite understandable. The Belarusian is quite visible on social media, sharing snapshots from her tournaments and travels, behind-the-scenes moments with her coaches, and some of her trips with her fiancé, Georgios Frangulis.

Even after the heartbreaking final loss at the US Open, Sabalenka was seen in her usual high spirits on social media. The Belarusian shared a full carousel of photos from her trip to Milan, where she took part in a fashion show hosted by Vogue. As Gucci’s brand ambassador, Sabalenka was one of the major attractions at the event, lighting up the runway in a custom-made Gucci dress.

However, that did not stop people from criticizing the former World No.1 for her off-court life. With her performances taking a slight dip ahead of the US Open, noise around the Belarusian’s form and her off-court life grew. Throughout her run in New York, the Belarusian was on edge and even snapped at a journalist‘s question about her off-court commitments.

The criticism was not limited to the media; former players also had strong opinions about Sabalenka’s social media activities and linked them to declining performance. Former World No. 1 Boris Becker also commented on Sabalenka’s social media life, hinting that the Belarusian’s private life took precedence over her tennis career.

Sabalenka answered all critics with a strong run to the US Open final, where she fell short against Elena Rybakina. The match saw the former World No.1 struggle with her emotions from the start, receiving a violation for ball abuse after she hit one into the crowd during the first set. By her own admission, Sabalenka was not at her best, something which she will look to remedy in Beijing to have a strong end to the season.

Aryna Sabalenka Will Be in Action at the China Open

Even tennis fans were critical of Sabalenka’s off-court life, with one fan asking the Belarusian to be at the China Open when she shared glimpses of her Milan trip. Well, the World No.2 will look to end her season strong at the Asian swing as she is all set to face Renata Zarazua in the opening round in Beijing.

Sabalenka has won her only match against Zarazua and should be able to win their match in Beijing. However, sterner tests await the Belarusian, with the likes of Maja Chwalinska and Anastasia Potapova in her section. The second seed will face potential challenges from Naomi Osaka, Karolina Muchova, Linda Noskova, and Mirra Andreeva if she has to reach the final.

Sabalenka will have additional motivation to regain her No. 1 ranking from Elena Rybakina as soon as possible. While the points gap is considerable, the Belarusian can regain her ranking by the end of the year if she reaches deep runs in Beijing and Wuhan and delivers a strong performance at the WTA Finals.

Despite all the criticism, Sabalenka has an impressive 46-9 win-loss record this year, winning three titles, including the Sunshine Double. However, since Miami, the Belarusian’s form has dipped, with some unexpected losses, something she will look to avoid during her run at the China Open.