Aryna Sabalenka's junior and early professional career laid a strong foundation for her future success. Unlike many of her peers, Sabalenka had a late start on the ITF Junior Circuit and did not compete in junior Grand Slam tournaments. She won her first ITF title in doubles in 2013 and her first singles title in 201424.

Sabalenka began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit in 2012, making her debut at a $25K event in her hometown of Minsk. Her first professional match victory came in 2014 in Istanbul1. By 2016, she had made significant strides, winning two $50K ITF events in Tianjin and Toyota, which helped her rise nearly 400 places in the rankings to end the year at No. 15524.

In 2017, Sabalenka made her WTA Tour main draw debut as a qualifier at the Dubai Open and won her first WTA Tour match at Wimbledon, defeating Irina Khromacheva in the opening round1. She also reached her first WTA semifinal at the Tashkent Open and her first WTA final at the Tianjin Open, where she faced Maria Sharapova14. These achievements marked her entry into the top 100 of the WTA rankings for the first time, finishing the year at No. 7814.

Sabalenka's rise to prominence began in 2017 when she played a crucial role in leading the Belarus Fed Cup team to a runner-up finish, marking her as a player to watch. That same year, she reached her first WTA final in Tianjin, where she lost to Maria Sharapova, and made her Grand Slam main draw debut at Wimbledon, advancing to the second round12.

Her breakthrough continued in 2018, a year that saw her win her first WTA title at the Connecticut Open and finish the season ranked inside the top 20. She also claimed the Wuhan Open title, defeating Anett Kontaveit in the final, and won the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai12.

In 2019, Sabalenka's success extended to doubles, where she partnered with Elise Mertens to win the US Open doubles title. The duo also achieved the Sunshine Double by winning both the Indian Wells and Miami Open doubles titles, a rare feat in women's doubles12. Sabalenka's powerful game and consistent performances during these years solidified her status as one of the top players on the WTA Tour.

Aryna Sabalenka has faced several injuries throughout her career, impacting her performance and participation in tournaments. In May 2024, she sustained a lower back injury during a match against Elina Svitolina at the Rome Open, which required a lengthy medical timeout and extensive treatment. Despite the injury, she managed to continue competing and reached the final, but expressed readiness to withdraw if the pain resurfaced to avoid jeopardizing her French Open participation1. Additionally, Novak Djokovic's withdrawal from the 2024 French Open due to a medial meniscus tear in his right knee highlights the physical toll tennis can take on top athletes345.

Aryna Sabalenka has been a Nike athlete since the start of her professional career, with the brand providing her with head-to-toe apparel and shoes, including the Nike Zoom NXTs25. In 2023, Nike began designing custom outfits for her, starting with a 'Noble Red' and coral racerback dress for the US Open, which garnered significant attention15. Sabalenka has also been involved in the design process for some of her outfits, expressing a desire for more personalized designs in the future3. Additionally, she is endorsed by Wilson, using the Blade 98 18×20 racquet, and has recently added Dobel Tequila to her list of sponsors25.