“I partnered with WHOOP because it helps me better understand my body,” said Aryna Sabalenka explaining why she decided to join hands with the health-tech brand. Since the collaboration started, the Belarusian tennis star has noted multiple times how the app has helped her to keep track of various things like recovery, the amount of sleep, etc. Today, with Sabalenka as the brand’s poster girl, WHOOP is valued at a whopping $3.6 billion. But all that wouldn’t come the 27-year-old’s way unless a tragedy befell her first.

“It was something unexpected,” the WTA star said following Sergy Sabalenka’s death in 2019. The next few months were spent by Aryna trying to move on with her life. And now, as she waits to defend her US Open title in New York, Sabalenka can’t forget how that profound loss prompted her to reach out to WHOOP.

In an Instagram post by the official WHOOP account from August 22, Sabalenka speaks about how losing her dad made her realize the importance of prioritizing herself first. “For @arynasabalenka the wake-up call came at a challenging time, and it helped her realize that even the small things add up,” reads the caption of the IG post as it notes how Sabalenka has made her health a non-negotiable thing. And all of that was a result of her personal calamity.

“I think the wake-up call for me was when I lost my dad, and I realized that you really have to take care of your health,” Sabalenka could be hard saying into the camera. She went on saying, “Before, I didn’t really keep track of my sleep, I didn’t care about HRV, do exams, blood test, vs, now, I’m like, always checking, always aware of my recovery,” she explained further how things have been drastically different before and after 2019.

She finished her impromptu speech with the final conclusion, “You have to take care of your health all the time.” However, it’s not like it’s only the WHOOP app that has helped Aryna to maintain an impressive track record. Instead, she has previously confessed that her good genetics also help her play and continue subduing her opponents.

“There’s no secret, it’s just good genetics,” she told reporters after her triumphs at the Rod Lever Arena back in January. But whatever it may be, good luck with her genes or the health app, Sabalenka now stands on the brink of history, and she’s more than eager to rise up to the occasion.

Aryna Sabalenka wants to reach out and grab history by the scruff

If Aryna goes on to win the US Open this year, she will be the first female tennis star to win back-to-back at the New York tournament since Serena Williams last achieved the elusive feat during her “three-peat” run from 2012 to 2014. Knowing perfectly what’s at stake, Sabalenka can also barely keep a lid on her excitement. “I was trying to ignore that statistic. My thought is to change that. My hope, I’d say,” she told reporters on Friday, before she begins her journey at he year’s final Grand Slam on Saturday.

However, with her former coach, Gavin MacMillan, joining Coco Gauff’s team ahead of the Big Apple competition, Sabalenka’s quest might not exactly be a walk in the park. However, though, she does have all the help she needs to attain the rare feat. WHOOP has been working tirelessly with the Belarusian to make sure her US Open journey sees her in her peak form.

And she knows that staying focused is the name of the game right now. Admitting that returning champions often put too much pressure on themselves, Sabalenka went on to note how she’s trying to keep her emotions under control. “I am more focused than ever. The last part of the season is all about staying consistent, managing my energy, and playing smart. I’m hungry to finish strong and give my best at every match,” she said.

On August 23, Aryna will begin her road to the title defense by locking horns with Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova. Got any predictions? Share with us!