Coco Gauff recently outshined the likes of Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, and a few others in the SportsPro’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes list. Gauff is ranked 13th on the list, while the one (Sabalenka) who won two Grand Slam titles this season is placed in the 38th spot. Some fans agreed, but others looked a bit surprised with this listing. However, recently a fan came up with an interesting stat, and guess what? Here, the Belarusian superstar looks way ahead of the 20-year-old American!

What are those statistics all about, though? Well, a fan recently shared a global map that depicted the percentage of searches surrounding some of the top WTA stars. In that picture, it was quite evident that Aryna Sabalenka looked way ahead of her other counterparts which included the likes of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka. The fan captioned his tweet stating, “Don’t really have an opinion cause it’s all subjective but it’s interesting to look at who’s been the most popular Google search over the last 12 months.” Did the fan just raise an eyebrow at the recent list published by SportsPro?

Well, opinions may vary, but with Aryna Sabalenka dethroning Iga Swiatek at the top of the WTA rankings, the number of searches surrounding the Belarusian superstar was bound to creep up further. What you ever wondered what really makes an athlete popular, I mean what really makes them “marketable“?

According to multiple studies, the first thing that strikes our mind is definitely on-court performances. The player needs to be successful and winning titles notches up their popularity to a great extent. If it’s a Grand Slam title, then it’s the best the tennis players could ask for while seeking the top spot in the list of marketability. Then, the second thing comes, language. The more they have command over the English language, the more the chances of them gaining popularity among fans across the globe. The other thing that athletes need to have to gain a fair bit of attention is a charming and vibrant personality in order to hit among masses.

Does Aryna Sabalenka tick all the boxes? Well, she definitely does! Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why she has booked his spot on becoming one of the most Googled WTA stars in the tennis world. She has a “big heart” and the way she interacts with her fans is truly impressive. Even the former WTA world number one claims so.

Former WTA star heaps praise on Aryna Sabalenka’s affable character

Earlier this year, during an interview with Tennis.com, Dinara Safina heaped praise on Aryna Sabalenka‘s personality. She perhaps hinted a bit at what really makes this 26-year-old Belarusian, a popular figure among the masses. While having a conversation, Safina explained, “I think she changed as a person. She has found a balance where she is happy inside and isn’t struggling emotionally. Even if she loses a match, she’s still smiling and not taking it personal.“

Further reflecting on Sabalenka’s title defense at the AO earlier this year, Dinara Safina stated that she feels now Aryna Sabalenka is more able to understand that she can have a bad day and still give 100% the next match. This is something that is restricting her from getting killed from the inside, says the tennis legend. Perhaps, that’s why nowadays we often see Aryna Sabalenka having fun and laughing around with her teammates and also fans. This wasn’t the case in her initial days. Fans are truly in love with this fun-loving version of Aryna Sabalenka.

Apart from his affable character, adding feathers to her cap adds more numbers to her popularity. Safina further explained how Sabalenka has changed a bit over the last few years. “She doesn’t blame others, and I think the way she treats people shows that she has a very big heart.” So, with these statements from the WTA legend, we’re just trying to say how important it is to tick all the boxes to gain popularity among the masses and become truly “marketable“. Only winning titles won’t let the players attain popularity among the masses! Do you agree with the recent list published by SportsPro, though?