Aryna Sabalenka reflects on the influence of her late father Sergey

Professional tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has frequently spoken about the impact of her father, Sergey Sabalenka, on her athletic career. Sergey, a former ice hockey player whose own sports path was interrupted by a car accident at age 19, introduced his daughter to tennis after noticing courts during a drive. He died in 2019 at the age of 43, though the official cause of his death was never confirmed. Aryna has credited her father’s determination and support as foundational to her professional success, including her performance at major tournaments. Following his death, the tennis star set a personal goal to reach elite status in the sport to honor his memory and legacy.

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