“I was grunting… Someone came calling me Maria Sharapova” – Aryna Sabalenka reveals ‘proud’ childhood anecdote that showed her real personality

Aryna Sabalenka recently reflected on an incident from her childhood that revealed her personality and true nature. Sabalenka defended her US Open title after defeating Amanda Anisimova in two intense sets, 6-3, 7-6(3).

Following her win, Sabalenka is seen making multiple media appearances. In the latest episode of Jay Shetty Podcast, she reminisced about an incident from childhood that filled her with pride. When the World No.1 was nine or 10 years old, she would grunt while hitting the ball. During one such instance, someone compared her to former Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova. The Belarusian dismissed being called Sharapova and instead asserted that she was the ‘future Sabalenka’, showcasing her confidence and bold attitude.

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"This story is not like I remember that, but I think it perfectly shows my personality when I was a kid, and someone came to me because I was grunting while hitting the ball, and someone came to me calling me Sharapova, and I looked at the person, saying like, 'No, I'm future Sabalenka.'"

"You know, I was a kid, I was like what, nine or 10, and saying that I was just like when my mom told me the story, I kind of like was proud of myself." (18:20 onwards)

Sharapova was known for her unique style of play, which included frequent grunting. According to a study from 2023, Sabalenka is the current women's player who grunts the most. The study stated the 27-year-old grunted 100 percent of the time she served and 95 percent she played a shot during her 2023 Australian Open run.

Aryna Sabalenka takes pride in winning a Grand Slam title in the 2025 season

Aryna Sabalenka reflected on her challenging season this year after her US Open victory. The Belarusian faced heartbreaking defeats after exiting from Australian Open and French Open final rounds, and the semifinal of Wimbledon. As she sat for the press conference in New York, the World No. 1 stated the win 'felt different.'

"This one felt different. It felt like I had to overcome a lot of things to get it," Sabalenka said. "I knew that [because of] the hard work we put in, I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season."

"When I fell [to the court], it was because it means a lot to defend this title and to bring such great tennis," Sabalenka added. "To bring the fight and be able to handle my emotions the way I did in this final, it means a lot. I'm super proud right now of myself." (via bbc.com)

Aryna Sabalenka became the first player to defend the US Open women's singles title since Serena Williams in 2013-14.

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About the author

Janhavi Shinde

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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