Aryna Sabalenka meets “mini-me,” talks inspiring young generation at 2024 US Open victory
The No. 2 seed came face to face with her biggest fan, who sported a matching tiger “tattoo” after advancing on Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday.
NEW YORK—Aryna Sabalenka enjoyed an extra-special celebration after advancing into the third round of the 2024 US Open, sharing the victory with a young fan who dressed up like the former world No. 1 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Sabalenka was in the midst of delivering a 6-3, 6-1 performance over Lucia Bronzetti when the youngster, who even sported a matching tiger “tattoo,” appeared on the stadium’s jumbotron.
“It was really adorable moment,” Sabalenka said in her post-match press conference. “I just looked up, and I saw on the big screen, like, mini me! It was so cute.
“That’s the first time I see someone dress up the same as me and having little tattoo and little tiger. How cute is that?” she added with a laugh.
After clinching the win on Wednesday, Sabalenka met the fan for selfies, and spoke in press about what connecting with young fans means to her.
“It's such a motivation to keep going to inspire the young generation,” she said. “That's the main goal. Yeah, that was very adorable moment.”
Sabalenka may hope to find a growing army of mini-Sabys in her next match, where she’ll face No. 29 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Friday.