Aryna Sabalenka’s Aspirations Beyond Tennis
In a recent conversation with GQ, Aryna Sabalenka, the current top-ranked player in women’s tennis, candidly expressed her ambition to excel in another field: modeling. Sabalenka, who hails from Belarus and is 27 years old, was asked about other pursuits where she aspires to achieve a number one ranking, to which she confidently replied,
“Modeling,”
before playfully mimicking a pose as if on a fashion shoot.
Focus on Wimbledon
Despite her aspirations outside of tennis, Sabalenka is focused on her performance on the court, currently competing in the Wimbledon championships. She kicked off her 2025 Wimbledon run with an impressive victory over Canadian player Carson Branstine, finishing the match in just 73 minutes with a score of 6-1, 7-5 on the famed No. 1 Court.
Debate on Match Format
During the interview, Sabalenka also addressed a significant conversation within the sport: should women’s Grand Slam matches shift to a best-of-five sets format, similar to their male counterparts? Despite her powerful playing style, she expressed concerns about the physical demands of such a change.
“Physically, I’m one of the strongest, so maybe it would benefit me. But I think five sets is too much for a woman’s body. We are not prepared for that level of exertion, which could lead to more injuries,”
she explained, according to reports from AP News.
While acknowledging the excitement of long matches, such as the thrilling recent French Open men’s final involving Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Sabalenka stated she has no desire to endure a five-hour match herself, saying,
“For someone watching, it’s amazing to see five hours of great tennis. But I’m not really jealous to stay there for five hours as a player.”
Looking Ahead
As Sabalenka aims for her inaugural Wimbledon title, the tennis community will undoubtedly be watching closely to see if her dreams of modeling take flight in the future as well.
This article was initially reported by Athlon Sports on July 1, 2025.
