Aryna Sabalenka Drops a Bombshell: Baby Plans, Career Breaks, and Why She’s Not Done Yet
It’s not often that a World No. 1 tennis player sits down in the middle of a Grand Slam and maps out their personal life for the next decade, but Aryna Sabalenka has never really been one to stick to the script. While usually the headlines are about her thunderous serve or her intensity on the court, this week the chatter in Melbourne is a little different.
Sabalenka has opened up about her future—specifically, her timeline for starting a family. But if you think a baby means retirement for the tennis powerhouse, think again. She’s already plotting her comeback before she’s even left.
The 5-Year Plan: Kids at 32
During a press conference at the Australian Open, Sabalenka dropped some candid details about her life off the court. At 27 years old, she’s sitting comfortably at the top of the game, but she’s clearly looking at the bigger picture. She revealed that her ideal scenario involves having children around the age of 32.
For tennis fans doing the math, that gives us roughly five more years of full-throttle Sabalenka on the tour before she takes a hiatus. It’s a refreshing level of honesty. Usually, athletes protect their private lives with a steel cage, but Sabalenka is treating this as just another phase of her career. She isn’t viewing motherhood as the end of the road; she sees it as a pause button.
She described the idea of returning to the tour after giving birth as a “challenge” she is genuinely looking forward to. And knowing her competitive nature, she probably means it.
Drawing Inspiration from the Supermoms
The narrative around motherhood in sports has shifted dramatically in the last decade, and Sabalenka is riding that wave. Ten or fifteen years ago, having a baby often meant hanging up the racket for good. Today, the tour is full of mothers proving you can have it all.
Sabalenka pointed specifically to Belinda Bencic as a major source of inspiration. Bencic managed to return to the Top 10 less than two years after giving birth, a feat that obviously resonated with the Belarusian star. It’s proof of concept. If Bencic can do it, and if Serena Williams could dominate after Olympia was born, why can’t Sabalenka?
This mindset shifts the pressure. It allows her to compete now without feeling like the clock is ticking on her biology, knowing that the door to her career won’t slam shut the moment she decides to start a family.
Chasing Longevity: If the Men Can Do It, Why Not Her?
One of the most interesting parts of her commentary was her reference to the men’s tour. Sabalenka name-checked veterans like Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic. These guys have been grinding out wins well into their mid-to-late thirties.
Her logic is sound: advancements in sports science, recovery technology, and nutrition have extended the shelf life of an elite athlete. If Djokovic is winning Slams deep into his 30s, Sabalenka believes she has the physical resilience to do the same, even with a pregnancy break in the middle.
It also speaks to her confidence in her support system. Modern athletes have teams dedicated to their physical preservation. Sabalenka knows that with the right training and recovery protocols, her body can handle a few more years of dominance, a break for a baby, and a return to the baseline.
What This Means for the Australian Open
Does all this talk of babies and retirement dates mean she’s distracted? Hardly. If anything, having a plan seems to have settled her. Sabalenka is currently tearing through the draw in Melbourne, focused on snagging her fifth Grand Slam title.
Immediate term, nothing changes. She is facing rising star Victoria Mboko next, and her eyes are firmly on the prize. The baby talk is a “someday” plan, not a “today” distraction.
The Legacy of the Comeback
If Sabalenka follows through on this plan—playing until 32, taking a break, and then fighting her way back—it will be a fascinating story to watch unfold in the 2030s. The “comeback” is one of the hardest things to pull off in sports. You lose your ranking, your match fitness, and your rhythm.
But Sabalenka thrives on adversity. She’s battled struggles with her serve in the past and come out stronger. She’s handled the pressure of being World No. 1. Framing motherhood as her next great athletic challenge is perfectly on brand.
For now, fans can relax. We have at least five more years of Aryna’s signature grunt and power game. But it’s nice to know that when she does eventually step away to build her family, it won’t be a goodbye—it’ll just be a “see you later.”
FAQ SECTION
Q: What did Aryna Sabalenka announce?
A: She plans to have children around age 32 but intends to return to tennis afterward.
Q: Who inspired her decision?
A: Belinda Bencic, who returned to the top 10 less than two years after giving birth.
Q: Why is this news important?
A: It highlights the evolving conversation about motherhood and elite sports careers.
Q: What are the next steps?
A: Sabalenka will continue competing, aiming for more Grand Slam titles before stepping away temporarily.
