Lights, stadiums, ball guys, and officials aren’t the only elements required to make any tournament a hit. Fans and crowd are the most important aspects of any sport, especially tennis as players love to be surrounded by cheers. Generally known for her playful nature and wide smile, Aryna Sabalenka was recently seen interacting with a superfan, making her day by sparing just 4 seconds of her schedule.

Sabalenka recently experienced a tough loss at the WTA Toronto Masters when American Amanda Anisimova upset her with a 6-4, 6-2 win. The defeat knocked the two-time reigning Australian Open champion out of the competition. However, she didn’t let the disappointing defeat keep her down for long. The Belarusian WTA pro quickly shifted her focus to the next event on her calendar, the Cincinnati Open. She took to the courts for her practice sessions where something magical happened.

While practicing at the Cincinnati Open, Sabalenka took a break from her preparations to spread some smiles to her fans. The event’s official Instagram page posted a heartwarming video in which Sabalenka can be seen interacting with the crowd. Sabalenka spotted a superfan holding up a board with “ARYNA” written in bold letters and a graphic of a tiger’s face. This image replicated the tattoo Sabalenka sports on her left hand which probably drew her attention. The fan was seen expressing her admiration, saying, “Aryna, you’re my favorite player,” as Sabalenka happily signed the board.

This wasn’t the first time Sabalenka showed her appreciation for her fans. After one of her wins at the Canadian Open, a young fan started raising his voice, hoping for a chance to interact. Sabalenka spotted him and therefore approached the child to bless him with her jacket. The commentator captured the moment perfectly, saying, “Awww… made someone’s day.”

This update was just another addition to the hundreds of times when Sabalenka spared some moments to interact with her fans. As one of her admirers took things beyond limits with his talent, she was forced to boast about it on her Instagram.

Aryna Sabalenka proudly shares a fan-made sketch of herself

Former world number one and the 2024 Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka recently received an adorable tribute from one of her biggest fans. The fan, identified as Lily Elva from Scotland, created an incredibly lifelike drawing of Sabalenka and shared it on social media. The Belarusian was truly impressed by the stunning sketch and therefore featured it on her Instagram story along with a heart emoji to express her admiration.

Lily Elva is a talented artist who also sketched other tennis stars to celebrate the start of the Hard Court season. Her collection included portraits of Daniil Medvedev, Jasmine Paolini, Casper Ruud, Emma Raducanu, and Denis Shapovalov. Her artwork not only reflected her skill but also gave out her admiration for tennis as well as the renowned pros. As fans continue to seek their once-in-a-lifetime moment with Sabalenka, her popularity continues to grow across social media channels and in real as well.