World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka says some people call her a “bitch” because her Slavic face can look “very aggressive” at first sight, even though she insists that impression fades once they know her. With Wimbledon beginning on Sunday, local time, the 28-year-old
Aryna Sabalenka laughs about it now, but the misunderstanding still lands sharp.
Ahead of Wimbledon. the world No.1 said people often think she’s a “bitch” after seeing her for the first time. linking the reaction to her “Slavic face” and the way she can appear with a “flat face and no emotions” as she walks around. She added that her expression can make her look “very aggressive,” which is why, she believes, the label sticks.
Sabalenka. 28. is set to begin her Wimbledon campaign on Sunday. local time. chasing a first All England Club title to add to the crowns she already has from the Australian Open and US Open. The Belarusian has reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon three times and will be desperate to turn repeated deep runs into the one trophy that still eludes her.
Her off-court persona, friends and fans say, is all warmth and bounce. On court. though. Sabalenka’s intensity can be mistaken—something she said she saw firsthand in her closest circle on tour. Even Spain’s Paula Badosa. described as famously intense herself. thought Sabalenka looked intimidating and hostile until they got to know each other.
“When we met. I was like. ‘Oh. I thought you were a bitch!’ And she’s like. ‘I thought you were a bitch. too!’ Sabalenka told The Guardian. “I was. like. ‘Well. I guess that’s not true. so we can be friends.’ She’s. like. ‘Yeah. we’re actually quite similar.’ I guess it’s just the attitude that we carry on court.”.
The point, Sabalenka said, is that her face and presence can signal something she doesn’t feel in that moment. “When you get to know me better you understand that it’s just something I was born with,” she said.
That “something” is also tied to the heat she brings on court. Sabalenka admitted she is in “an ongoing battle with my emotions,” and while she understands the expectation to stay controlled—“You have to be flat with your emotions”—she said suppressing everything was “destroying me from the inside.”
Asked about the fiery moments that can come with her competitive style. she explained that when the emotions build. she now tries to release them rather than hold them in. “It’s something that we spoke about with my team; that whenever I feel like I’m holding too much. just throw the racket. yell something. let it go. ” Sabalenka said. “Now I’m in better control, but, of course, still I do things that I’m not proud of.”.
She described what that change means in practice: she has asked her team to be okay with her yelling and “throwing this aggression” at people who can handle it, so she can keep fighting through the match.
The Wimbledon week, however, has not been only about emotions and execution. Sabalenka also spoke about cutting her media time short at Wimbledon as part of a protest over prize money. She is joined in the campaign by men’s world No.1 Jannik Sinner. and the pair limited their media appearances to 15 minutes last week—after doing the same at the French Open.
Wimbledon has upped prize money by 20 per cent, but Sabalenka said it does not meet what players say they need. She pointed to the figures as part of the argument: she said the revised figure leaves players with just over 14 per cent of the total revenue from the tournament. rather than the 16 per cent they are seeking.
“We do it for the tour, we don’t do it for ourselves,” Sabalenka said. “We do it for the rest of the players who are suffering to even hire a coach. It’s not an easy life for lower-ranked players.”
So as Wimbledon arrives on Sunday, local time, Sabalenka is juggling two battles at once: one against the way her expression can be read before anyone knows her, and another against the money that shapes how far players lower down the rankings can even go.
Aryna Sabalenka Wimbledon Belarusian tennis Jannik Sinner prize money protest emotions on court Paula Badosa Slavic face media time 15 minutes
People really calling her a bitch because her face looks intense? That’s wild lol. Seems like just sexism or whatever.
Wait so she’s like mad people think she’s mean? But she’s also saying her Slavic face looks aggressive? I’m confused. Either way, I feel like athletes always get stuck with some label.
Honestly I don’t even care what people call her, but the whole ‘flat face no emotions’ thing… doesn’t that just mean she has resting serious face? I’ve seen plenty of players with that. Then suddenly it’s ‘hostile’??
This headline makes it sound like she’s in trouble before Wimbledon but it’s more like people misunderstanding her. Also why does it keep mentioning ‘Slavic’ like that’s the reason? I thought she was Belarusian not Russian or whatever. Anyway, hope she wins because she’s been close a bunch.