After losing in “tough finals” at the 2025 AO and the Indian Wells, Aryna Sabalenka finally managed to turn her fortunes around in Miami. beating Jessica Pegula in the final in straight sets. The World No. 1 didn’t lose a set en route to her 8th WTA 1000 and 19th WTA Tour title. “Today, we’re going to chill, but tomorrow I’m going to force them, yeah, to do something, to have drinks, to have — I don’t know, maybe some burgers, pizza, just to have fun,“ Sabalenka said after that emphatic title triumph, revealing her grand celebration plans. Weeks have gone by since that incredible victory, and it seems the 26-year-old is still being celebrated in her own ‘Magic City‘. Although a Belarusian by nationality, Sabalenka spends most of her time at her residence in Miami. Recently, she got honored by none other than the soccer legend David Beckham himself!

Aryna Sabalenka’s love for soccer is well-known. A few years ago, she was even seen in the stands at the UEFA Champions League Finals at Stade de France. We have often seen her showcasing her soccer skills as well by juggling the ball. Once one of her videos went viral, which drew applause from the Brazilian footballer, Ronaldo Nazario. So, who is Sabalenka’s favorite soccer player?

Well, previously, she was asked to choose between the two number 10s of international soccer- Messi or Mbappe, and Sabalenka, without any hesitation, picked Lionel Messi!

Interestingly, the world number one attended Inter Miami’s match against Toronto FC yesterday with Messi being in action as well. Although the match ended at 1-1, the Argentine legend scored a goal in the stoppage time of the first half. During her visit to the Chase Stadium, Sabalenka got the chance to meet the Inter Miami owner, David Beckham and guess what she got from him? Well, Beckham honored the US Open champion with a jersey that had the number 1 printed on the back. The official IG handle of Inter Miami uploaded that iconic moment with the caption, “Miami Open Champ in the house 🏆🎾 Welcome back, @arynasabalenka💗.”

In that video clip, Aryna Sabalenka shared the experience of her visit to this incredible venue by saying, “I love it so much. So much fun. Yeah, I’m enjoying my time. Thank you so much for cheering me on, and it’s just so good to be winning the title, and it’s amazing to be able to attend other sports. I’m so happy right now.”

Sabalenka’s visit to Inter Miami comes just months after Serena Williams’ surprise appearance at the same venue. Beckham had welcomed Serena wholeheartedly as well, giving the 23-time GS winner a warm hug before handing her an Inter Miami jersey.

Was it the first time that Sabalenka met David Beckham, though? Well, the former Manchester United midfielder is also an avid tennis lover. He has been spotted several times in the Royal Box during the Wimbledon Championships. In October last year, Sabalenka and Beckham shared a “low-key Miami morning” after the stars of Netflix’s “Beckham” and “Break Point” met up. They posed together for a picture, and afterward, the Englishman even dropped a comment on Sabalenka’s IG post, writing, “So lovely to meet you, Aryna.”

Aryna Sabalenka is clearly enjoying her post-Miami Open break to the fullest. But next up for her is the mega challenge on the clay courts.

Aryna Sabalenka believes she is in a strong position to carry her form to clay courts

Aryna Sabalenka overtook Iga Swiatek to become the new world number one last year. But clay courts have always been a place where no player from the current era has been able to match Swiatek’s dominance. The Pole has won five major titles so far in her career, but four of them have come on the clay court of Roland Garros. On the other hand, Sabalenka has won three Grand Slam titles, and all three of them have come on the hard courts. She currently has 28 wins at both the AO and the US Open combined. This is higher than her wins at the French Open (16) and Wimbledon (11).

Having seen her incredible form on the hard courts in the last few months, fans are wondering: Will Sabalenka be able to replicate this performance on a surface she’s less fond of? According to tennis legend Jimmy Connors, “We are now transitioning from hard courts to clay courts. It may not be her favorite surface, but I think she can also be competitive.”

What does Sabalenka herself have to say about her chances on the clay courts? “I think physically I’m ready to go. Physically I’m strong, and I’m not rushing the point, and I know I can stay in the point for how long I need. I think that’s the key because I think I have got everything to be a good player on the clay court. So I think that we’re gonna focus on. I haven’t talked to my team. But I can assume we’re going to focus on my fitness,” she said.

Sabalenka currently has a win-loss record of 23-4 this season. Do you think she can improve this record further with a solid performance on the dirt?