Aryna Sabalenka admits her father's death impacted her career as she started to look at tennis as "something bigger," because she wanted to leave a mark and make her late father proud.
In 2019, Sergey Sabalenka was just 43 when he suddenly died. The cause of his death was never officially revealed, but certain reports suggested that he died from meningitis.
At the time of her father's death, Sabalenka was just 21 and widely regarded as one of the most promising players of the game. But after going through a very traumatic experience of her father, the Belarusian didn't hide how deeply she was impacted by the tragedy that struck her family.
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While it took her some time, Sabalenka ultimately managed to reach her targeted heights - she is a four Grand Slam champion and the top-ranked WTA player. And most importantly, she fulfilled the promise she made to her late father that she would have at least two Grand Slams by the age of 25.
Sabalenka: Tennis became something bigger when I lost my father
"For me, tennis became something bigger when I lost my father. I just want to see how far I can get in this sport, and I want to inspire next generation. I want to be a good example. Maybe sometimes I'm not a good example, but it's also an example how not to do. But most of the times I'm trying to be a good example for the next generation, and that's what keeps me moving and inspires me," the 27-year-old said.
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Whenever Sabalenka wins a Grand Slam, one of the first things she does is remember Sergey and pay tribute to her late father. It was especially after emotional after her first Grand Slam win at the 2023 Australian Open as the Belarusian admitted she wished her father was there to see her.
