The 2024 season was thrilling, showcasing fierce competition and remarkable player resilience. Aryna Sabalenka stood out on the WTA roster, clinching her first title at the Australian Open and following it up with victories in Cincinnati, the US Open, and Wuhan. She maintained her No. 1 ranking while facing tough competitors like Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff. Many questioned her ability to stay resilient amid an exhausting tour, but Sabalenka kept her focus and powered through to finish the year as World No. 1. While dominating the tennis courts, Sabalenka is also enjoying her offseason.

Recently, she was spotted on a romantic getaway in Paris with her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis. The couple has been sharing various adventures on social media. She moved her vacation to the more relaxed environment of South Florida city with Frangulis. Earlier, in November, they were seen enjoying a Miami Heat game at the Kaseya Centre in South Florida. Now, in a fun twist, Sabalenka joined the Alpine F1 team for some pre-Abu Dhabi GP excitement!

She participated in a lively TikTok dance with the racing team. Donning a pink Alpine racing suit and helmet, she was seen busting out the classic choreography to the 2000s hit song, ‘The Ketchup Song’. In the end, she removed her helmet and blew a kiss to the camera to show off her charm. Taking their excitement to have the tennis World No.1 with them, the team shared the post on IG, captioned, “Last race vibes in Abu Dhabi 🤙 Good to have you here @arynasabalenka 🎾.”

Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Sabalenka is balancing fun with practice. On December 3rd, she shared a TikTok video showcasing her day in the life. Including getting ready for practice and enjoying dinner afterward. She captioned it, “Preseason calling 📞🎾.” to show just how she manages her time in her daily life. Even renowned tennis journalist Jonathan Overend praised her ability to juggle work and personal life as a top WTA player.

Journalist praises Sabalenka’s mindset throughout the hectic tour schedule

While players like Iga Swiatek struggled with the demanding tour schedule, Aryna Sabalenka thrived. Thanks in part to smart decision-making. On December 3rd, during an episode of the Sky Sports Tennis podcast, Commentator Jonathan Overend highlighted her strategic withdrawal from Wimbledon. This last-minute decision allowed her to recover and maintain her energy levels for the second half of the season. Overend stated,

“For all the tournaments she’s won this year, for me, one of the big decisions was the tournament that she didn’t play, Wimbledon. Pulling out of Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament proved to be an inspired decision because it allowed her that time to recover and build for the second half of the year.” He emphasized that sometimes, “too much tennis isn’t always the answer. Sometimes you do need to step back to give your body the chance to recover.”

Sabalenka understands that losses are part of the game and acknowledges that she won’t hold on to the No. 1 ranking forever. In a November 15 interview with Arab News after receiving her Year-End No. 1 trophy, she and coach Anton Dubrov reflected on their journey. Dubrov pointed out the challenges of maintaining such a coveted position, stating, “I don’t think you can hold the No. 1 ranking, to be honest.”

Especially with fierce competitors like Swiatek, who have already dethroned her once this year, and Coco Gauff, who beat her in SFs to advance to the title clash, to eventually win the WTA Finals title in Riyadh. The competition is undoubtedly fierce. But Sabalenka is focused on learning from her mistakes and improving as he added, “I think she’s more mature to understand what you need to do to be on this level.”

As she looks ahead to 2025, it’s intriguing to see if Sabalenka can continue balancing her wins and losses effectively. She has proven her ability to reflect on her experiences. Adapting will be crucial for her success. With a strong mindset and determination, there’s no doubt she will bring her A-game. What do you think? Will Sabalenka maintain her momentum in 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments below!