Aryna Sabalenka surprised with a video showcasing her football skills ahead of the WTA Finals.
The World No. 1 recently played her last tournament before the finals, which bring together the year's top eight female tennis players. Sabalenka was the first to qualify for the 2023 WTA Finals, scheduled to take place in Cancun between October 29th and November 5th.
Sabalenka was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Open last week, losing to Elena Rybakina with a score of 7-5, 6-2. These two Grand Slam champions have faced each other six times, and Sabalenka holds a 4-2 advantage in their head-to-head matches.
Following her exit from the WTA 1000 Shanghai Open, Sabalenka quickly traveled to Cancun, where she is already training with more than two weeks left until the start of the tournament. Her aim is to defend the points she earned last year by reaching the final of the tournament, although she lost to Caroline Garcia on that occasion.
Sabalenka is not only known for her tennis skills but has also shown her passion for football. This time, she shared a video of herself playing with a football, displaying impressive skills for her fans:
“More foot work😂 More energy 🙈 #warmup,” Sabalenka wrote on her post.
The Belarusian tennis player had an outstanding year, maintaining a high level of performance from start to finish. She won her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January and reached the final at the US Open, along with semifinal appearances in the French Open and Wimbledon. This impressive record of 23-3 in Grand Slams during 2023 makes her the best performer of the year in major tournaments.
Additionally, Sabalenka celebrated her fifth WTA 1000 title at the Madrid Open and clinched a total of three titles in the year. Her overall record includes 54 wins and 12 losses, giving her an impressive 82%-win rate for the season.