MusaWe’re used to seeing Aryna Sabalenka rip through opponents with the emotional intensity of a Marvel movie final battle—but last weekend, fans saw a different side of her. And no, it wasn’t shown on TV. The real moment? That came courtesy of a sneaky fan video that’s now melting hearts (and servers) across the internet.
After clinching a tough three-set victory in Madrid, Aryna walked to her bench, wiped the sweat off her brow—and then she paused. Cameras cut to replays and sponsor shoutouts. But what the broadcast missed, a courtside fan captured perfectly: Aryna, eyes glistening, head tilted upward, whispering what looked suspiciously like “thank you.”
It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t staged. It was… real.
Naturally, the video hit Facebook and exploded within hours.
“She’s human after all 😭,” wrote one fan.
“She cried. I cried. My cat cried,” said another.
Theories about the moment flooded in faster than one of her second serves: Was she overwhelmed with relief? Sending a message to someone above? Or maybe, just maybe, feeling the weight of everything she’s fought through—from injuries to media pressure to those emotional rollercoaster matches?
Later that night, Aryna posted a black-and-white photo to her story. No words. Just her holding her hand over her heart.
Yup, cue the waterworks all over again.
It’s a side of Sabalenka that fans don’t always get to see. Beneath the ferocity, the fashion, and the memes, there’s a powerhouse athlete who still feels every point, every win, and every moment like it’s her first—and maybe even her last.
She may crush balls for a living, but she’s got a soft spot that could melt the toughest line judge.
And thanks to one fan’s phone and the magic of social media, the world got to see Aryna not just as a tennis titan—but as a woman who plays with her whole heart.
Musa
Olaniyi Ayoola
John Owolabi