Sabalenka bounces back from losing WTA top spot with beach getaway

Losing the world No. 1 ranking has done little to dampen Aryna Sabalenka's spirits. Weeks after surrendering the top spot in the WTA rankings to Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina following the US Open final, the 28-year-old star headed to a tropical paradise to recharge her batteries and shake off the disappointment.

In a post that quickly went viral on Instagram, the current world No. 2 shared a series of seaside snaps, wading into the waves at sunset in a leopard-print swimsuit, paired with black sunglasses and her hair blowing in the wind.

The tennis star was also pictured playing in the surf alongside friend Lolita Lazarenko, and included a shot wearing a t-shirt featuring a playful slogan: "The coolest woman you know."

"Running to a beach and a tennis court near you," the Belarusian captioned the post, which racked up nearly 200,000 likes and a flood of praise from fans in just a few hours.

No stranger to sharing glimpses of her daily life and off-court fashion shoots — including a recent feature in a fitted tracksuit for Time magazine —, Sabalenka is making the most of her downtime to regroup ahead of the final stretch of the 2026 season, which culminates in the WTA Finals starting November 8.