"It's a good reminder" - Aryna Sabalenka reveals the meaning behind her Tiger tattoo

Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka recently discussed the meaning of her tiger tattoo on her left arm and her admiration for tigers in general, something which she uses to identify herself. The World No. 1 also has another tiger tattoo on her left thigh, with the symbol also prevalent on her equipment and accessories.

Aryna Sabalenka is regarded as one of the best tennis players in the world. She made her breakthrough in 2017, when she helped the Belarus Fed Cup team to a runner-up finish. After winning her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in 2023, Sabalenka quickly established herself as one of the best players in the world and eventually reached the number one ranking after the U.S Open later that year. She has now won 20 WTA Tour-level singles titles.

In an interview with GQ, Sabalenka discussed the 10 things she couldn't live without. She mentioned her Wilson tennis bag, which came with a tiger zipper, and revealed the meaning of her tattoo.

"They're not doing this with every player. So it means like you achieve something and having these things on my bag, it's just a dream, you know?..So pretty with this little cat situation. I was born Year of Tiger and I always felt like a fighter on court. That's the truth, you have to fight every single point. So I felt like it's a good reminder to have on my arm that I have to keep fighting no matter what. So it's just a little inspiration for myself," said Sabalenka.

Sabalenka explains that she was born in 1998, which is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac, specifically the Earth Tiger, one of the five elemental variations. The tattoo serves as a reminder for her to remain competitive and fierce on the court.

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Aryna Sabalenka on French Open loss: "The worst final I ever played"

Aryna Sabalenka after her defeat in the French Open final - Source: Getty

Aryna Sabalenka recently discussed her loss to Coco Gauff in the French Open final, saying that it was the worst final she had ever played. Sabalenka defeated Qinwen Zheng in the quarters before defeating Iga Świątek in the semi-finals to reach her first French Open final.

"I have to say in the past two weeks, I played really tough matches [against] really incredible players and I played definitely a better level than in the final. It was really honestly, the worst tennis I played in the last I don't know how many months. The conditions were terrible and she simply was better in these conditions than me, and I think it was the worst final I ever played."

After the French Open final, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff squashed any questions over their relationship by recording a TikTok video on Wimbledon's Centre Court.