Aryna Sabalenka seems to be enjoying a well-deserved break from the WTA Tour.
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, was in pursuit of her third straight US Open title earlier this month before falling short to Elena Rybakina in the final. Not only did she go the entire year without winning a major title, she lost her No. 1 ranking to Rybakina.
“It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for (a) three-peat, so I just wanted to let it go,” Sabalenka said. “I wish I could perform a little bit better, but I guess next year. Obviously, not really happy with the level I played (at).”
Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 8, 2026 Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her quarter final match against Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Geoff Burke
While there’ll come a time for Sabalenka to compete against the WTA’s best again, she’s currently enjoying a vacation in Greece. She shared a few photos on Instagram that caused quite the stir.
“Well deserved queen,” one fan said.
“Beautiful,” a second fan replied.
“Love the bikini,” another fan commented.
“We are all rooting for you Aryna,” an Instagram user wrote.
A second-place finish at the US Open isn’t good enough for Sabalenka, but she should be considered a serious threat to win the Australian Open in January.
After all, Sabalenka proved she can still win against elite players by taking down Linda Noskova and Jessica Pegula in New York.
First things first though, Sabalenka needs to regain her confidence. Once she does that, she’ll be back in the winner’s circle.
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This story was originally published September 21, 2026 at 8:55 PM.