Is it possible to mistake a tennis star’s rehab for a tropical getaway? Aryna Sabalenka recent break from the court has raised eyebrows. While her Instagram feed showcased sun, sand, and smiles, the World No. 3 insists she was hard at work recovering from injury. In short an attempt to “make sure that this will never happen again”.

On Thursday, Sabalenka moved past the Round of 16 after defeating Elisabetta Cocciaretto at the 2024 Cincinnati Open. After her Grandstand match, Sabalenka had a conversation with Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj, who asked her to speak about her vacation during Wimbledon. The host even underlined the presence of some pictures that went online where she was seen having her “best life.”

In response, Sabalenka said, “I wouldn’t say so honestly. Like, it was really tough being injured and not being able to compete at Wimbledon. I was so so ready to go. Unfortunately, it is what it is. And even though it looks like I had vacation life like almost half of the day, I was, I was doing treatments and rehab, exercising like a lot of stuff. Make sure that this will never happen again. But yeah, I had a couple of days where I just really enjoyed myself and just try to separate myself from tennis and just kind of like accept, accept that I’m injured and I cannot compete, you know.”

Third seed withdrew from Wimbledon just before her opening match due to a shoulder injury. After withdrawing from Wimbledon, Sabalenka wrote, “Heartbroken to have to tell you all that I won’t be able to play The Championships this year. I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not cooperating.” Before that she reached the quarterfinals in Berlin against Anna Kalinskaya but retired owing to an injury to her teres major(shoulder). This listed her among the top-10 ranked players to retire from the Berlin Open due to injury or illness.

This reigning Australian Open champion took a vacation on the beach and her Instagram profile gave her followers a sneak peek of her happy moments. While her pictures hinted at her great vacation, the Belarusian mentioned that she also worked hard to achieve her lost fitness. After all, this Grand Slam winner finds tennis as a good distraction in her life.

Sabalenka thinks herself fortunate to “have tennis” in life

Sabalenka is back in Cincinnati after missing out on both Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics. Despite being a star player, Sabalenka professional journey is full of ups and downs. Not just injury but she has faced personal issues while attending the Miami Open. However, nothing keeps the WTA star from playing as sh finds solace in her sport.

“I think it’s really good that I have tennis, I have something to keep me distracted, keep me away from all those tough challenges in life. Also having really great people around whom you can trust, talk openly, just be you and talk through everything you’re going through, that’s really important. It’s helpful for just staying positive and keep focusing on your dreams and your goals in life,” she said.

Sabalenka’s dedication is an inspiration to many young athletes out there. She might miss Wimbledon but her Cincinnati Open performance can turn out like magic. No matter what the results might appear, Sabalenka will always be loved by the tennis world for her intense resilience and spirit on the court.