Aryna Sabalenka is back to business and eyeing another major title at the Australian Open after wowing fans with vacation photos during the offseason

The Australian Open kicks off on Sunday, with the world’s best tennis stars going wild Down Under. 2026 begins and the first major tournament on the tennis calendar begins.

Jannik Sinner is defending his men’s singles title and Madison Keys is looking to retain her women’s title. Naturally, one of the favorites until the end is world number one Aryna Sabalenka. She set herself up perfectly to win her third Brisbane International title with a stunning win over Marta Kostyuk after taking on Nick Kyrgios in the post-Christmas ‘Battle of the Sexes’.

The Belarusian is aiming for his third Australian Open title in just four years and is firmly on track to achieve it. Prior to the tournament, daily star sports Let’s take a closer look at Sabalenka.

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Friendship with tennis rivals

Sabalenka is very close to Paula Badosa, and the two regularly post selfies together on social media. In October, the couple enjoyed the autumn sun in Dubai.

They enjoyed a well-deserved vacation wearing skimpy bikinis and also enjoyed dinner at Atlantis The Royal Hotel and Greek restaurant Milos. Sabalenka is well versed in Greek culture and has a Greek-Brazilian boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis.

Same goes for Badosa, who previously dated Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas. The two started dating in 2023, but reportedly broke up after Wimbledon last year. She has since declared herself “sexy and single” in social media posts.

engagement teasing

Sabalenka joked about getting engaged to her boyfriend after her recent win in Brisbane. Franglis was sitting in the crowd when he jokingly suggested marriage.

“Lastly, I would like to thank the team for the way they treated me,” she said. “I’m really the toughest person in the world to handle and you’re the toughest in the world because you can handle me. Thank you my boyfriend…I hope I can call you by another name soon. Let’s put a little more pressure on you.”

Franglis is an entrepreneur who founded Oakberry, an acai bowl company with more than 700 locations around the world. His net worth is said to be over $75 million (£55 million) and the pair have been dating since 2024.

tiger vs model

Sabalenka is a formidable predator on the court, serving at an astonishing 190 mph. Despite her aggressive playing style and overwhelming athletic aura, she is very different on social media.

On her Instagram profile, Sabalenka plays the role of a model or influencer rather than a top tennis star.

As well as bikini snaps, her feed also includes a look at the lavish lifestyles of celebrities, with their luxury holidays and deals in luxury brands such as Audemars Piguet, the pinnacle of luxury watches.

On the court, by contrast, Sabalenka is sometimes referred to as “Tiger” because of the predator tattoo on her left forearm. It’s reflected in the way she plays.

She said this about why she got the tattoo: told the Daily Mail She was born in the Year of the Tiger, and on the court she has to play like a Tiger.

She went on to say that when times get tough, she looks at her tattoo and reminds herself that giving up is not an option and that she has to fight.