Rivals

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Two weeks ago at Flushing Meadows, Aryna Sabalenka defended her U.S. Open title with a straight-sets win over Amanda Anisimova to claim her fourth Grand Slam trophy and second in New York. The final, which lasted just over 90 minutes, hinged on Sabalenka’s steadiness under pressure. For the Belarusian athlete, who had fallen short earlier this year in the finals of both the Australian Open and Roland Garros, the win reinforced her reputation as the most dominant hard court player on tour.

“I remember the moment I entered the stadium for the first time — it just immediately brought me back to last year’s finals and the moment of winning” Sabalenka tells me at the St. Regis in New York City, one day into the U.S Open tournament, and one week before winning her fourth Grand Slam. “It was just such a good vibes and I really want to replicate that and to experience that feeling again.”

Of course, we now know she successfully manifested another win — becoming the first woman since Serena Williams to win back-to-back U.S. Opens and solidifying her world No. 1 ranking. Before any of this, though, we’re sitting across from each other in the storied hotel’s grand ballroom, sipping a “Margaryna” cocktail she created in partnership with Dobel Tequila, only fantasizing about how she would celebrate a U.S Open win.

While drinking and partying is not a part of the lifestyle for any professional athlete, Sabalenka says there’s no beverage she enjoys more than tequila when celebrating the end to a long tournament run. So, it was only fitting that ahead of the U.S Open, she would partner with the Mexican spirits brand, which she says is one of the only tequilas that doesn’t give her a hangover.

“I remember one day I tried Dobel And the next day I didn’t feel like I had had anything the night before.” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s really good.’

So, how will she celebrate her US. Open win? Next year, she plans to go back to Greece and rent a huge boat and to travel across the islands. “It’s so beautiful, so clean,” she says. “And DJs on the beach clubs, they always play really cool music. You’re always having fun there. And the food — oh my God — the food is amazing.”

Below, Sabalenka talks to Variety about her celebration plans, Dobel Tequila campaign, on-court rivalries and tennis fashion:

How did this partnership come about?

I love tequila and I feel like Dobel is really the smoothest one. I really feel great the next day because before if I would go out and have a drink the next day, I was still hungover. And I remember one day I tried Dobel and the next day I didn’t feel like I had had anything the night before. And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s really good. What if I met the team and just got some free stuff? Just to my house whenever I have a moment to have fun with the friends. And then we just came to the partnership and it’s been really amazing and fun. And we came up with ‘Margaryna, which is obviously Dobel and then we mix it with tropical olive oil which makes it healthier and a different flavor but so good. I love a margarita.

What is your relationship with alcohol and partying given your strict schedule?

There’s not much time where we can just go out and have fun. I just had a little vacation after Wimbledon for a week. So there I could allow myself to have little drinks. And I love certain drinks and sometimes I get tired of having the same one. So whenever I feel like trying something else, I always ask, ‘Whatever alcohol you have it in it, can you just switch it out for tequila?’ And they would always pour Dobel instead of whatever. And they always taste great. And whenever I have something to celebrate, like a title or after the tournament,  I allow myself to drink a little bit. So it’s not that much because we always stay disciplined and are very strict to the schedule. And there are not many opportunities to have fun. But drinking in celebration is the best because then you’re like, ‘Oh, whatever. I’ll have it all’ and you just go for it the next day. 

Where do you like to travel when you have the rare time off?

Of course, Athens, Mykonos. But next year, we are planning to rent a huge boat, staying in a boat and going around the islands. So I feel like Greece is the best place. It’s so beautiful, so clean. And DJs on the beach clubs, they always play really cool music, you’re always having fun there. And the food, oh my God, the food is amazing. 

What is your pre-match ritual?

The day before the match, you take it easy. You just like one hit in the middle of the day and then a treatment and then just chilling in the room watching some Netflix, trying to go to bed. I try to go to bed not that early but not later than 12. Usually it’s like 11. Sometimes I struggle to fall asleep. And on the next day, I always like to go to my favorite breakfast places. Also it depends on the time of the match. If it’s like 7 p.m., I take it easy and I enjoy my time. And then the moment I get into the car, going inside, this is the moment where I  switch off, and I start getting into that match mode. And sometimes I like to put my headphones on and just listen to the music and think about whatever to motivate myself. And then we go inside, we warm up, we stay with the team, we have our lunch and then it’s time to rock and roll. 

Do you have a specific song or playlist you listen to before a match?

It’s always different. It’s a seasonal thing. If I get tired of something, then I switch it to another type of music. But  right now, since I’ve been to Mykonos and I love this DJ vibe, I just go for a ‘We Are the People’ remix, and I just keep the radio on Spotify and it’s just a really cool mix of music. Or I just go to a Coldplay playlist. It’s always different, I’m not the person who’s going to listen to one artist all the time. 

How do you deal with your tennis rivalries?

Rivalries are such a huge part of of tennis culture. I think I love it. I think that’s what’s what pushes me to get better. And I remember, since a very young age, having this rivalry situation would always push  me to go and work harder and do better and become better. So I love it, it’s a good push for me to keep working hard and trying to become better than another one and it’s always a process of learning and getting better. That’s why I love sports because you always compete with someone, you have to take it as as a good thing. 

Tennis fashion has become so much more ubiquitous over the past couple of years. Have you seen any trends on the court or in the stands you’re specifically loving or hating?

I actually love to see that tennis is so fashionable and every other brand is doing some sort of collaboration with tennis. So honestly, I love it so much. And I love to see that. There’s no such thing in fashion as ‘Oh it’s bad or it’s good.’ I feel like everyone has a different point of view on fashion, and everyone loves different things. It’s cool for sport to get bigger, to bring more people in the sport, more interest in the sport and it’s good for us at the end of the day. So far, whatever I’m seeing, I’ve loved it. I think it’s cool, people getting creative and doing collaborations and every brand does it in their own way. So I love to see that and it makes our sport, our life, more popular and bigger and we are more seen for what we do. I think it’s so cool.