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Meet tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, who just pulled out of Wimbledon

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Meet tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, who just pulled out of Wimbledon

Aryna Sabalenka is a former No.1 tennis player in the women’s singles and doubles, and the Belarusian athlete is currently ranked 3rd worldwide by the WTA. Much to fans’ delight, she also recently confirmed her relationship with Georgios Frangulis in an Instagram reel filmed at the Berlin Open.

Just weeks before, 26-year-old Sabalenka had announced that she would not be playing in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Then she withdrew from Wimbledon hours before the tournament’s opening match in which she was set to face off against German Emina Bektas. Sabalenka, whose appearance at the world’s biggest tournament was a highly anticipated one, cited a “very frustrating” shoulder injury that has left her unable to serve, according to AP.

It’s been a tough few months for Sabalenka, after her former boyfriend – NHL player Konstantin Koltsov – also died suddenly in March.

Here’s what else we know about Sabalenka:

She’s done some modelling

Aryna Sabalenka was World No.1 at one point Photo: @arynasabalenka/Instagram
This year has seen no shortage of intermingling between tennis and fashion, and it seems this athlete’s style on the court translates just as well to posing for a photo shoot. The tennis star has graced the cover of Vogue Australia and rocked sporting gear for big names including Wilson and Nike.

Her ex boyfriend died in March

Aryna Sabalenka and her late ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov. Photo: @arynasabalenka/Instagram
Former NHL player and Olympian Konstantin Koltsov, who Sabalenka was thought to have dated from 2021 to late 2023, died in March this year. Police in Miami, Florida, where he was staying at the time, declared his death to be an apparent suicide, per CNN. In the weeks following his death, ESPN reported that Sabalenka wore all-black during practices. She later told press in a statement that she and Koltsov had separated before his death, but that she was thoroughly “heartbroken”.
Paula Badosa (left) and Aryna Sabalenka (right) at the Miami Open shortly after the death of Konstantin Koltsov, wearing all black. Photo: Getty Images

Tennis player Paula Badosa, Sabalenka’s “best friend” and currently ranked 93rd by the WTA, had to play against the grieving athlete at the Miami Open in the days following Koltsov’s death, according to The Telegraph.

Before the match Badosa commented on Sabalenka’s emotional strength: “She’s a strong woman. I think she will get the power from somewhere.”

She’s known for the tiger tattoo on her arm

Aryna Sabalenka has a distinct tiger tattoo on her arm. Photo: Getty Images
Sabalenka has a tiger tattoo on her arm that coincides with her Chinese zodiac sign and she’s said previously that “sometimes I need to remind myself that I am the tigress and I need to fight till the end”.

The athlete’s in-game fierceness has also earned her the nickname “The Tiger”, per Business Insider.

She doesn’t support the Russia-Ukraine war

Aryna Sabalenka is originally from Minsk, Belarus. Photo: @arynasabalenka/Instagram

Sabalenka is transparent about her political beliefs and has spoken out about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, expressing a desire for peace: “Nobody in this world, Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes, support the war. Nobody.”

She’s currently dating a racecar driver and CEO

Georgios Frangulis is a racecar driver, among his many talents. Photo: @georgiosfrangulis/Instagram

Sabalenka’s current boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, is a decade older than her, and is the co-founder and acting CEO of the Brazilian açai chain Oakberry. Since its 2016 inception in São Paulo, Oakberry has expanded to global markets including Portugal, Spain, the UAE, Korea, the US, UK and more, according to the Franchise Times.

Georgios Frangulis is the co-founder of Oakberry. Photo: @georgiosfrangulis/Instagram

Frangulis is also a racecar driver who competed in the Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil last year. Sabalenka, who accompanied him to F1’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this May, seems just as infused with passion for the sport, sharing photos of the two of them on her Instagram. Frangulis is also a sponsor of the Haas F1 team, which includes big name F1 drivers such as Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

Aryna Sabalenka and Georgios Frangulis at the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Photo: @arynasabalenka/Instagram

Sabalenka has even been spotted at the Haas Paddock Club with Frangulis, who introduced her to the Haas team members. The athlete’s mood seemed lifted despite her loss to Iga Świątek in the Italian Open final just hours prior.

Aryna Sabalenka and her new beau Georgios Frangulis holidaying in Greece. Photo: @arynasabalenka/Instagram

Sabalenka dropped a major hint she was in a relationship with Frangulis when she took a holiday in Greece after her defeat against Mirra Andreeva at the French Open – and he could be seen in one of her photos.

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