'My Dad Wanted Me To Be No.1': Sabalenka Fulfills Late Father's Wish
Aryna Sabalenka's rise to become the new WTA No. 1 is a story of desire, fuelled by her late father's wish.
On Sunday, that dream of Aryna's father, Sergey Sabalenka came true, following the surprise defeat of Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka will officially take over as the incumbent to the throne after the US Open, becoming just the second Belarusian player in WTA rankings history to pull off that feat (after Victoria Azarenka).
It is a bittersweet moment for the 25-year-old from Minsk, but at the same time, she never lost her purpose. In 2020, as Sabalenka embarked on her trip to Australia to kick off her season, she poignantly revealed the tragedy that afflicted her during the off-season, saying it was 'something unexpected'.
Sergey had taken his last breath at the age of 43, and his only wish was for Aryna to reach the pinnacle. Leaving her family to rejoin the Tour was one of the toughest moments of her life. But it was in pursuit of his father's wish, that Sabalenka found her purpose.
Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, 2023 will fondly be remembered as Aryna Sabalenka's year on so many levels. She could have quite easily lost the trajectory of her career, but her mental fortitude and innate ability to improve were exemplified in the past 18 months.
Not only did she bounce back from a disastrous 2022 start when her serve malfunctioned, but she bridged a gap of more than 6,000 points at the start of this year to Iga Swiatek. She won her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open, and consistency was the cornerstone to everything she did on the court.
Sabalenka will still have cause for double celebration at the end of the week, now that she's the frontrunner to win the 2023 US Open. At the start of the tournament, her sole focus was to win a second Grand Slam, but confessed that she was after the No. 1 ranking too. Either way, Sabalenka's story resonates with all of us - there is often a lesson in adversity.
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