Sabalenka Opens Up About 'Fu**ing Annoying' Aspect Of Being Athlete

Sunday, 27 July 2025 at 18:35

byJordan Reynolds

WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was as candid as ever in a recent interview when describing how challenging life can be for athletes.

Sabalenka's position at the top of the women's singles rankings reflects how much success she has enjoyed in the last few years, including winning two Australian Open titles and the 2024 US Open.

However, there have also been some brutal defeats, especially this year. Since January, Sabalenka has lost the Australian Open and French Open finals and the Wimbledon semifinal against Amanda Anisimova, all in the deciding set.

The Belarusian is known for wearing her heart on her sleeve. That fiery competitiveness was evident in the heated battle with Anisimova at Wimbledon. After that match, Sabalenka admitted she was angry with some of the 23-year-old's actions.

In a video on her YouTube channel, Sabalenka admitted that her results impact how much she enjoys general life despite her efforts to unwind outside of the sport by being social and having fun.

"I think it’s important to go and have fun and enjoy life. But it’s so fu****g annoying about being an athlete, honestly. All your life depends on your result. You win, and you are the happiest person that you can be. You just enjoy, life feels so good. But when you lose, it’s just tough to enjoy."

Players make huge sacrifices for their careers. Traveling to multiple destinations throughout the season, training during off-weeks, and not taking much time in the off-season are necessary steps for achieving success.

Doing all that work and being away from friends and family makes falling short even more difficult to accept. Sabalenka and her colleagues all have things they enjoy doing outside of tennis, but the sport is naturally the central point of their lives.

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The world No. 1 deals with setbacks better than in the past. Sabalenka admits that she used to be very cold towards opponents after being beaten and did not handle defeats well.

However, she still sometimes causes controversy after losses. Many criticized the 26-year-old for saying Coco Gauff's win in the French Open final was not down to her opponent's good play, and that Iga Swiatek would have beaten her.

To Sabalenka's credit, she issued a heartfelt and genuine apology afterward. Gauff did a TikTok dance with her afterward, demonstrating that the 21-year-old held no ill will after Sabalenka's remarks.

Although it did not have a lasting impact on her relationship with Gauff, the initial comments she made show how tough Sabalenka still finds it to process brutal defeats, especially in Grand Slam finals.

Some also critiqued Sabalenka after the 2025 Australian Open final for smashing her racket and leaving the court immediately after the match ended. Rennae Stubbs was among those who felt it distracted from Madison Keys's winning a maiden Grand Slam title.

However, Sabalenka's authenticity and honesty are refreshing. Her recently launched YouTube channel will give fans an even better insight into the Belarusian's life on and off the court.