Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 women’s tennis player, has never shied away from wearing her heart on her sleeve, and her newly launched YouTube channel, *Aryna’s Arena*, offers an unfiltered look into the highs and lows of her life as a professional athlete. On July 17, 2025, just days after her semifinal loss at Wimbledon to Amanda Anisimova, Sabalenka dropped her first vlog, a candid reflection on her emotional journey during the tournament. In the video, filmed in the aftermath of her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 defeat, the 27-year-old Belarusian opened up about the crushing weight of defeat, saying, “I think it’s important to go and have fun and enjoy life. But it’s so f—— annoying about being an athlete, honestly. All your life depends on your result.” Her raw honesty, coupled with moments of vulnerability like, “I am going to be there on the beach thinking it’s so beautiful, but I lost. I am such a loser. I hate myself,” struck a chord with fans, revealing the relentless pressure that comes with being at the pinnacle of the sport.
Sabalenka’s 2025 season has been a masterclass in consistency, with a 47-9 record, three titles, including the Miami and Madrid Opens, and finals at the Australian Open and French Open. Yet, her pursuit of a fourth Grand Slam title has been elusive. At Wimbledon, her third consecutive semifinal exit since 2021 stung deeply, especially after being a favorite to claim the Venus Rosewater Dish. The vlog captures her packing her bags, visibly grappling with the loss to Anisimova, who reached her maiden Grand Slam final. “Losing sucks, you know? You always feel like you want to die, you don’t want to exist anymore, and this is the end of your life,” she confessed in a post-match press conference, highlighting the emotional toll of coming so close to her dream. Her frustration was compounded by a moment in the match when she felt Anisimova celebrated a point prematurely, admitting, “She was already celebrating it. I was, like, that’s a bit too early. Then she pissed me off saying that’s what she does all the time. I was grateful she actually said that because it’s actually helping me to keep fighting.”
The vlog, produced by Naomi Osaka’s Hana Kuma company, offers more than just post-loss laments. It invites viewers into Sabalenka’s Wimbledon experience, from renting a house in Wimbledon village to unwind with her team to a viral practice session with Novak Djokovic, where they competed in a playful challenge to hit a tube of tennis balls. Her coach, Anton Dubrov, and boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, feature prominently, showcasing the camaraderie that keeps her grounded. A lighthearted moment at a launch event for her IM8 health supplements deal with David Beckham adds levity, with Sabalenka dishing out a custom acai bowl after losing a bet to Djokovic. These glimpses reveal the “chill” side she described in a recent interview: “I can be pretty tough sometimes, but overall, I think I’m more of a chill person. When I compete, I am a tiger—I’m fighting for my dreams out there; there’s no time to be nice.”
Sabalenka’s candor extends to her struggles with the sport’s emotional extremes. With 20 WTA titles, including the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens and the 2024 US Open, she’s no stranger to success. Yet, her 18 final losses, including three in majors, weigh heavily. Her vlog reflects on this dichotomy: “You win and you are the happiest person that you can be. You just enjoy, life feels so good. But when you lose it’s just tough to enjoy.” This sentiment resonates with her controversial post-match comments after losing to Coco Gauff in the 2025 French Open final, where she initially attributed her 70 unforced errors to poor conditions rather than Gauff’s defensive prowess. After backlash, she apologized on Instagram, saying, “Coco handled the conditions much better than I did and fully deserved the win. She was the better player yesterday, and I want to give her the credit she earned.”
As Sabalenka prepares for the US Open, where she’s the defending champion, her vlog series promises more unfiltered moments, from Nerf gun wars with her team to cameos from tennis legends. Despite withdrawing from the Canadian Open due to minor physical issues, her focus remains on New York, where she hopes to end her 2025 Grand Slam drought. Her raw reflections in *Aryna’s Arena* humanize the world No. 1, showing that even a “tigress” feels the sting of defeat—but always rises to fight another day.
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