Defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka has made a surprising admission about her retirement plans just hours before her first match in Melbourne. In a candid interview the 26-year-old revealed that she’s (getting close to retirement) and has already started thinking about life after tennis.
Sabalenka who has been unstoppable in Melbourne winning back-to-back titles spoke about how her body is no longer able to keep up with the demands of the sport. Now I’m not running that much. I need to save my hips and my back she said. The Belarusian tennis star also joked about how she’s getting older saying (I’m 26, 27 this year, oh my god 27 this year)
When asked about her retirement plans Sabalenka opened up about her desire to start a family. I hope I’ll have a family. I love kids I don’t want to have my first kid at 35 she said. The tennis superstar revealed that she wants to have a child and then return to the sport so that her kid can see the hard work and dedication required to succeed.
Sabalenka’s admission has sparked curiosity among tennis fans who are eager to know what’s next for the defending champion. Despite her retirement plans Sabalenka confirmed that she’s not done yet and is focused on winning her third consecutive Australian Open title. If she succeeds she’ll join an elite group of tennis legends including Margaret Court and Steffi Graf.
As Sabalenka prepares to take on Sloane Stephens in her opening match and all eyes will be on the defending champion to see if she can make history once again. Will Sabalenka’s retirement plans affect her performance on the court? Only time will tell.
