Aryna Sabalenka’s birthday mistake

May 5 marked Aryna Sabalenka’s 26th birthday. The last time we saw Sabalenka on court, a day earlier, she looked very frustrated after her loss in the Mutua Madrid Open final to Iga Swiatek. As Swiatek fell to the clay in jubilation after match point, television cameras did not show fans Sabalenka slamming her racket near her chair.

Sabalenka‘s aggression was understandable given the high level she played in the final. It’s a shame that one of them has to lose the match. Swiatek hinted that their level of play should attract fans to women’s tennis, and she thanked Sabalenka for making her a better player.

Fans who saw Sabalenka’s emotional outburst may have worried that her loss would overshadow it. birthday party. Fortunately, this was not the case.

The Aryna Sabalenka we know and love took to social media to show us her birthday dessert that she planned to enjoy at the cute restaurant she seemed to be at…until he Something so unexpected and hilarious happens that it has fans and Sabalenka in stitches. doubled over laughing.

Sabalenka started the year by defending her title at the Australian Open. Highly publicized personal problems plagued her and her best friend Paula Badosa, affectionately known on the WTA Tour as “Sabadosa.” (On Sabalenka’s birthday, Badosa announced that her high-profile relationship with Stefanos Tsitsipas had ended.) Sabalenka’s level of play in Madrid puts her in an excellent position to win her first-ever French Open, she must therefore remain positive and prepared.

The ultimate irony will be if Swiatek and Sabalenka meet at Roland Garros and Sabalenka wins. This would truly be an earth-shattering event as Sabalenka has owned Madrid (with two titles) and Swiatek has owned Roland Garros (with three titles) since the beginning of their exciting, competitive and thrilling rivalry.

In the meantime, here’s hoping Sabalenka had a great 26th birthday, enjoyed her second birthday dessert, and has a strong 2024 with plenty of match wins and even more laughs with Badosa and the others. Sabalenka is a joy on and off the court, and the WTA Tour is lucky to have her goofy personality and powerful tennis game among its top-ranked players.

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