Aryna Sabalenka had a late start in tennis at the age of 12, but ever since she got into it, her life has revolved around tennis. Interestingly, though, what she was not willing to engage in was social media. “What’s the point of taking your photos and posting them?,” she would question. I don’t have to tell you today how that relationship has blossomed. 

Good or bad news, in season or offseason, on the court or out in the world, the world No. 2 absolutely enjoys sharing her personal life with her followers. She very aptly defines this break from grueling practice sessions as “a small getaway.” But even in a world where most people want to see everything you do as a formidable tennis star, some would question those very moves. The Belarusian is no stranger to that kind. So, as she faces heavy scrutiny about her form, she has a blunt response for them.

“It’s okay. I feel like people judge others based on their own feelings. It has nothing to do with us,” said Sabalenka during her pre-tournament press conference at the China Open. “If they think that they wouldn’t be able to do that, it doesn’t mean that we cannot do it.

“If you love it, if you have fun with it, if you want to share yourself on social media, you have to do it. I’m at that stage where like people are going to judge you either way. She’s active or she’s not active. She’s like this and that. It’s like you’re never good enough for people. I feel like why would I even care about them? I don’t give a single heck.”

Last month, Sabalenka was at the Milan Fashion Show for Gucci. And she did not mind stunning her fans in a glittery turtleneck dark brown dress on the ramp and then a white silk pantsuit for the photoshoot. Now, while most of her 5.7 million Instagram followers loved those photo dumps, some also called her out for one fact.

Just days ago, she had lost the US Open. However, Sabalenka was in her usual high spirits on social media, sharing a full carousel of photos from her trip to Milan. If anything, she knows exactly how to use her platform for more visibility.

Sabalenka keeping her social media open to everyone is such a big talking point that it even came up during a TIME magazine interview in August. Whether it’s sharing funny TikTok reels with her coaching team or having fun dance-offs with Novak Djokovic at the French Open, the Belarusian’s fun and goofy side is often praised by fans. But why shouldn’t she escape into whatever reality she wants to?

Playing through a rigorous schedule while having the spotlight as one of the best players in the world, Sabalenka’s need to decompress on social media is quite understandable. However, that did not stop people from criticizing the former World No. 1 for her off-court life.

With her performances taking a slight dip ahead of the US Open, noise around the Belarusian’s form and her off-court life grew. Throughout her run in New York, the Belarusian was on edge and even snapped at a journalist‘s question about her off-court commitments. The criticism was not limited to the media.

Despite questions around her social media presence, Sabalenka continues to answer her critics

Players like former World No. 1 Boris Becker also commented on Sabalenka’s social media life, hinting that the Belarusian’s private life took precedence over her tennis career.

“Maybe the focus has been lost a little. She has been playing successfully for a long time, has earned a lot of money, won a lot of titles, and so on. She’s recently engaged. Is her private life her focus right now? And tennis number two? Because that would explain it,” Becker said.

Yet, it has understandably not broken her confidence. After all, how can a 30-40-minute a day spent on social media become a distraction for her hours of rigorous training sessions? But, we can see things take a turn for her.

Aryna Sabalenka Will Be in Action at the China Open

For some time now, tennis fans have been critical of Sabalenka’s off-court life, with one fan asking the Belarusian to be at the China Open when she shared glimpses of her Milan trip. The World No. 2 will certainly look to end her season strong at the Asian swing as she is all set to face Renata Zarazua in the opening round in Beijing.

Sabalenka has won her only match against Zarazua and should be able to win their match in Beijing. However, sterner tests await the Belarusian, with the likes of Maja Chwalinska and Anastasia Potapova in her section. The second seed will face potential challenges from Naomi Osaka, Karolina Muchova, Linda Noskova, and Mirra Andreeva if she has to reach the final. She could also regain her No. 1 ranking from Elena Rybakina.

While the points gap is considerable, the Belarusian can regain her ranking by the end of the year if she reaches deep runs in Beijing and Wuhan and delivers a strong performance at the WTA Finals.

Despite all the criticism, Sabalenka has an impressive 46-9 win-loss record this year, winning three titles, including the Sunshine Double. However, since Miami, the Belarusian’s form has dipped, with some unexpected losses, something she will look to avoid during her run at the China Open.