Aryna Sabalenka joined the growing agency EVOLVE, which was co-founded by her fellow WTA player, Naomi Osaka.
Sabalenka and Osaka share quite a few things. Both are exceptional hard-court players. Both won the Australian Open twice, and both have at least one US Open title. On top of that, both managed to climb to the World No. 1 spot in their careers.
Sabalenka occupies that spot at the moment, and she will keep it at least until the start of the Australian Open. She will start that tournament already as a part of Osaka's agency EVOLVE.
In May 2022, Osaka chose to leave the International Management Group (IMG) and form her own agency, EVOLVE, alongside her long-time agent, Stuart Duguid.
Since then, plenty of players joined the agency. Nick Kyrgios was one of the first players to join Osaka relatively early after the agency was founded, and Ons Jabeur also joined the agency in 2023.
Since then, the likes of Anna Kalinskaya and Iva Jovic, who is a rising star from the United States, have joined the agency, which has now added another star name to its roster.
The reigning WTA World No. 1 player, Aryna Sabalenka, signed with EVOLVE for "representation across all areas of her career." This is a significant move not only for Sabalenka but especially for Osaka's agency.
Stuart Duguid, who co-founded the agency with Osaka, was delighted to welcome another high-profile player to the agency. Duguid called Sabalenka "one of the most marketable athletes in the world."
His claims are certainly not incorrect, as Sabalenka was ranked 38th on the recently published list of the most marketable athletes, placing only behind Coco Gauff when it comes to her WTA rivals.
"Aryna is one of the most marketable athletes in the world today. Beyond her dominance on the court as the No. 1 player, she has a magnetic personality, a cutting-edge approach to social media, and an innate understanding of fashion and culture."
"She is a multi-faceted icon with limitless potential. With a largely untapped commercial portfolio, the possibilities for Aryna's career are endless."
Sabalenka, naturally, was excited about the move too, as signing with EVOLVE marks a new chapter in her career. The Belarusian player has many high-profile sponsorship deals, and her appeal will certainly only increase under Osaka's agency.
"I'm thrilled to begin this new chapter with EVOLVE. Together, we'll build a sustainable, long-term business that reflects my values and aspirations on and off the court."
While Sabalenka and Osaka managed to strike a partnership off the tennis courts, they might soon clash on the tennis courts. The Belarusian player will be the favorite to win the 2025 Australian Open, while Osaka will be among the dark horses.
