Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are set to meet each other for a second time at a Grand Slam final at the 2026 Australian Open. The two met in the final in Melbourne three years back, with the Belarusian taking the honors.
The life of a professional tennis player is tough enough, and it is tough for them to navigate the rigors of Tour life unless they receive strong support from their families. Before their Australian Open final, let’s take a look at the families of both the finalists.
Everything To Know About Aryna Sabalenka’s Family
Sabalenka comes from a sporting family as both her father, Sergey Sabalenka, and her mother, Yulia Sabalenka, were ice hockey and volleyball players, respectively. Her father, Sergey, was an influential figure in Sabalenka’s life, and it was he who introduced the World No.1 to the sport of tennis.
Sabalenka’s father sadly passed away in 2019, aged only 43, due to meningitis. The World No. 1 has often spoken about the fact that it was the shared dream of herself and her father to win a Grand Slam title before she turned 25.
The expectation often burdened her to get the results that were on par with her potential, until she finally realised her dream when she won the 2023 Australian Open title, and has won three more Major titles since then.
At the end of last year, Sabalenka was at an event with ATP legend Andre Agassi, and she spoke about how her father’s death changed her life both on and off the court and motivated her to excel in the sport. Speaking at the event, she said,
“For me, tennis became something bigger when I lost my father. I just want to see how far I can reach in this sport, and I want to inspire the next generation”.
Sabalenka’s family also includes her sister, Tonechka, who is 11 years younger than the WTA star and has close ties with her elder sibling.
Apart from her family, Sabalenka has been in a relationship with Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis for almost two years now. The pair met for endorsement reasons, and the Belarusian is the brand ambassador for the Brazilian’s brand Oakberry.
Everything To Know About Elena Rybakina’s Family
Elena Rybakina’s family consists of her parents, Andrey and Ekaterina, and her elder sister Anna. Rybakina’s father funded her early career, and was the one who guided her during the switch from gymnastics to tennis. Her mother and sister, meanwhile, make occasional appearances at her tournaments.
Rybakina’s sister, Anna, was the one who went along with her sister across the world, supporting her from the stands. Back in 2023, Rybakina confessed that having her sister alongside her on the Tour helped her refresh and take her mind off tennis.
“I think she’s actually helping a lot, because [tennis], it’s still a job,” she said in her pre-tournament press conference on Friday. “You practice all days, kind of the same routine. With her, if I go back to the room or we go to dinner, we can talk about something else, not only tennis”. said Rybakina ahead of the 2023 French Open.
Last year, reports hinted at friction in the family. The WTA investigation that looked into allegations of misconducted against her coach, Vukov, reportedly unearthed emails Rybakina’s mother had sent to Vukov, addressing the problematic behavior of the latter as the Kazakh’s coach.
More: Why Did Elena Rybakina Snub WTA CEO Portia Archer? Coach Stefano Vukov’s Ban, Romantic Relationship Accusation, and More
Vukov was banned, which was later overturned on appeal, and he rejoined Rybakina’s team. Speculation arose that this saga created a distance between the World No. 5 and her family as Rybakina’s sister was conspicuous by her absence in 2025.
However, the Kazakh quashed these speculations, stating that the rigors of the Tour prevented her from visiting her family, but she was looking forward to spending quality time with them in the off-season.
Another reason for her distance from family could be the geographical distance. Rybakina was born in Moscow, where her family resides currently, but she switched her nationality back in 2018. This was mainly due to the financial backing that was promised and provided by the tennis federation of Kazakhstan, which is led by Bulat Utemuratov.
Due to this and the fact that Rybakina mainly trains in Dubai and Slovakia, meeting with her family regularly is a bit untenable. It remains to be seen if any of Rybakina’s family will be in the stands during her final in Melbourne.