Aryna Sabalenka reveals real reason for her illness that led to shocking loss at French Open

Aryna Sabalenka struggled with abdominal issues during her unexpected loss in the 2024 French Open quarterfinal. The Belarusian recently revealed that consuming undercooked meat the day before the match led to stomach problems.

Currently, defending her title at the Australian Open, Sabalenka was asked about her food preferences during a tournament. She shared that she keeps her diet simple to avoid a repeat of the "Roland Garros situation."

This mention prompted a reporter to ask her what had happened at the French Open, leading to Sabalenka revealing that an issue with the meat she ate had caused stomach problems.

"Like a day before, I had pretty rare meat. You know, I usually go for medium well, and I ask for medium well, but I think it wasn't cooked enough, and yeah, I think I just, yeah, my stomach didn't like that. And yeah, I felt really bad after on the next day, so now I'm making sure that the meat is cooked well," Aryna Sabalenka said during a press conference in Melbourne.

She was likely referring to the quarterfinal loss against Mirra Andreeva in Paris. The Belarusian was visibly struggling with abdominal issues during the match and even received treatment from the medic. Later, she missed the post-match press conference due to illness.

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"It's just good genetics" - Aryna Sabalenka's lighthearted revelation of the source of her power

Aryna Sabalenka at the 2025 Australian Open - Source: Getty

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open on Wednesday, January 15. During the post-match press conference, she was asked what she eats before matches.

"You want to know where my power comes from? There is no secret, it's just good genetics [laughs]. I'm glad, I’m so grateful for that, for my family," Sabalenka said.

"No, I usually go for, if it's an early match, I just stay with breakfast, and I eat porridge and an egg white omelette. Then I have a snack like an hour and a half before the match, like a protein bar with a coffee. Nothing special. If I have to go for lunch, I stay pretty simple... I stay with chicken and rice and some salad. And then in the evening, I go for a meat," she added.

Sabalenka is eyeing a hat-trick of Australian Open titles and has started on the front foot winning two matches in straight sets. In the third round, she will take on Clara Tauson on Friday, January 17.