Aryna Sabalenka reveals the truth behind leaving IMG to join Naomi Osaka's EVOLVE

WTA star Aryna Sabalenka recently opened up about the rationale behind ending her partnership with renowned brand IMG. While she expressed excitement over joining the athlete management brand EVOLVE in a previous statement, the latest conversation stated why she decided to make this switch.

On January 4, 2025, Sabalenka announced her partnership with EVOLVE. Co-founded by Naomi Osaka and her long-time agent Stuart Duguid, the brand has been focused on helping athletes create their businesses and philanthropic efforts.

In a press conference, following her commendable victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Sabalenka opened up on her fresh collaboration with EVOLVE. Dropping hints of new ideas brewing in her mind regarding her plans to enter into the world of business, the Belarusian explained how things went south with IMG.

"Well yeah it's a tricky question but I was looking for building my brand and um kind of like wanted a little bit more than uh than IMG was serving for me and I wasn't happy with the service and um yeah there was uh tension between me and some of the people out there. I'm happy that I was able to finish that chapter of my life and I'm glad about the new beginning and I hope to build something bigger than just the moment," she said.

Aryna Sabalenka bagged a massive $10 Million in prize money for 2024. This didn't just turn out to be an exceptional mark among the tennis community but also helped her rank 5th in the official list released by Forbes.

Although players like Iga Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen, Emma Raducanu, and others continue to operate with IMG, Sabalenka separated herself with this staggering move.

Naomi Osaka's agent turns optimistic about Aryna Sabalenka's future with EVOLVE

2025 Australian Open - Day 4 - Source: Getty

Aryna Sabalenka's collaboration with Naomi Osaka's brand EVOLVE is expected to be a win-win for both parties. Besides the 3-time Grand Slam champion's word of honor amid joining the athlete management company, co-founder and Osaka's long-time agent Stuart Duguid also expressed sheer optimism.

"She is a multi-faceted icon with limitless potential. With a largely untapped commercial portfolio, the possibilities for Aryna’s career are endless," he said, as reported by Tennis.com.

As per the latest reports, Aryna Sabalenka has a massive collaboration portfolio. This includes brands like Nike, Wilson, Audemars Piguet, and others.

Along with these, the WTA star also emerged as the new face of his boyfriend Georgios Frangulis' brand Oakberry. As her partnership with the new management company brews, fans can expect fresh surprises in the upcoming years.