"I'll steal this one" - Aryna Sabalenka pokes fun at Ons Jabeur after Tunisian sports a tiger cap

Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Ons Jabeur (R)
Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Ons Jabeur (R)

Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka made a playful comment about Ons Jabeur's choice of headwear. The Tunisian player recently shared a photo of herself wearing a cap emblazoned with a tiger, which is Sabalenka's favorite animal.

Sabalenka has two ferocious-looking tiger tattoos, one on her left forearm and the other on her upper left thigh. The first tattoo was inked when she turned 18, and it holds special significance as she was born in 1998, the year of the tiger.

Ons Jabeur took to social media to share a photo of herself sporting a cap adorned with a tiger. In the caption, she tagged the World No. 2, who in turn shared a photo and playfully inquired about Jabeur getting a tattoo, while also expressing her desire to snag the headwear for herself.

"Where's your tattoo baby? I'll steal this one 😂😂😂🙈🙈🙈😘," Sabalenka tweeted.

In an interview with the Tennis Channel in 2019 Sabalenka revealed the story behind her tattoo.

"I think I was 18 years old and my parents didn’t know about this tattoo," she said. "I was born year of tiger and sometimes on the court I need to remind myself of them tigers and I have to fight till the end and I just put it on my arm, make sure I can see it all the time, and be on fire.”

Aryna Sabalenka jokes about exacting revenge following defeat to Elena Rybakina at Indian Wells 2023

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina at the 2023 BNP Paribas Open
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina at the 2023 BNP Paribas Open

On March 19, the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells witnessed an intense final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. This was the second time the two players had met in a final this season, with their first encounter being at the Australian Open, where Sabalenka emerged victorious and claimed her first Grand Slam title.

During the trophy presentation, Rybakina extended her congratulations to Sabalenka for her remarkable start to the 2023 season and her outstanding performances at Indian Wells. Sabalenka responded by playfully sticking her tongue out in the direction of the 23-year-old, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Rybakina then expressed her delight at finally winning a match against Sabalenka in her fifth attempt, which led to the latter joking that she would make sure it was the Kazakh's first and last win against her.

"I will make sure it was the last one," Sabalenka joked.

Aryna Sabalenka later took to social media to react to her on-court antics.

"Me," she commented with laughing emojis.
Aryna Sabalenka's Instagram story
Aryna Sabalenka's Instagram story

Quick Links