Aryna Sabalenka proved she can take a joke by reacting to a hilarious Instagram skit that playfully highlighted her Australian Open style. The lighthearted video, which spoofed several memorable moments from the Melbourne Major, singled out Sabalenka with a tongue-in-cheek compliment about her outfit.
Aryna Sabalenka Embraces the Joke After Being Spotlighted in Australian Open Skit
Sabalenka recently wrapped up her ninth main-draw run at the 2026 Australian Open with a series of varied tests. She began comfortably, defeating French wildcard Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1, then backed it up with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Chinese qualifier Zhuoxuan Bai. The challenge intensified in the next round, where she navigated two tight tiebreak sets to edge past Anastasia Potapova 7-6(4), 7-6(9).
Regaining control, Sabalenka dispatched 17th seed Victoria Mboko 6-1, 7-6(1) before cruising past 29th seed Iva Jović 6-3, 6-0 to book her place in the semifinals. She then outplayed 12th seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 to reach her fourth straight Australian Open final.
In the title match, however, she came up short, losing 4-6, 6-4, 4-6 to fifth seed Elena Rybakina in a repeat of their 2023 final showdown.
The skit that drew Sabalenka’s reaction stitched together exaggerated impressions of several stars from this year’s tournament.
It mimicked Rybakina’s famously calm demeanor after her second Grand Slam triumph, poked fun at Novak Djokovic missing out on another Australian Open title despite beating two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, teased Sinner over criticism of his outfit color, Iga Świątek briefly denied entry at the gym for not wearing tournament credentials, and referenced Naomi Osaka’s bold fashion choices.
The video also joked about Coco Gauff’s frustrations, including a dramatized racket smash. Sabalenka’s moment came with a simple line praising her as “stylish as ever,” a nod she clearly appreciated. The Belarusian tennis star responded directly in the Instagram comments with multiple laughing emojis.
How Has Sabalenka Fared Heading Into the Upcoming Qatar Open in Doha?
Sabalenka is getting set for her fifth appearance at the Qatar Open in Doha. The WTA 1000 event is scheduled to take place from Feb. 6 to 14 on the outdoor hard courts at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
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Sabalenka’s debut in the main draw remains her most iconic moment in Doha in 2020. Entering as the ninth seed, she concluded her run by defeating Petra Kvitová 6-3, 6-3 in the final. In doubles, she and Elise Mertens reached the quarterfinals before falling to Gabriela Dabrowski and Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 1-6, 4-10.
Her title defense in 2021 was short-lived, as the tournament transitioned to a WTA 500 level that year. Sabalenka entered as the third seed and faced Garbiñe Muguruza in her opening match, falling 2-6, 7-6, 3-6. She returned to the 1000-level stage in 2022 as the top seed; however, her run ended in the quarterfinals at the hands of Świątek, who defeated her 6-2, 6-3.
After skipping the tournaments in 2023 and 2024 to manage her schedule following deep runs at the Australian Open, Sabalenka made a highly anticipated return to Doha in 2025. Entering as the World No. 1 and top seed, she sought to reclaim the title. However, she was met with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(5) upset in her opening match against Ekaterina Alexandrova.