Aryna’s Rule for Balancing Romance and Rivalry 👉 She says this is her biggest strength.
In a world where female athletes are constantly asked to choose between love and legacy, Aryna Sabalenka plays by her own rule: “Never lose yourself.”
Aryna has never shied away from romance, often seen publicly with her long-time boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, before his tragic passing. Yet even in the glow of love, she held fast to her independence. “My relationship must fuel me, not distract me,” she once said in an interview. And that’s been her compass — balancing romance without compromising her fire.
What’s remarkable is how she handles rivalry with the same energy. Whether facing best friends or bitter opponents on the court, Aryna separates emotion from mission. She trains herself to love deeply but compete fiercely — knowing that emotional intelligence, not emotional dependency, is the key to her growth.
While some athletes lose themselves in the limelight of love or the shadow of competition, Aryna’s rule has kept her grounded: Be whole before you share yourself. That rule, she says, is her biggest strength. It lets her play with heart — but never at the cost of herself.
