"Aryna Sabalenka's gonna be pregnant by US Open"; "Not the time for baby fever" - Fans amused as World No. 1 reveals plan to have kids

Fans reacted with a mixture of surprise, concern, and support following Aryna Sabalenka's candid comments about her future family plans and retirement. Amid preparations to begin her Australian Open campaign, the World No. 1 revealed she might be closer to retirement than first thought.

In a candid conversation, during a car ride to Melbourne Park, Sabalenka shared her thoughts on her future as a professional athlete, admitting that she feels her retirement is drawing near.

"I’m kind of getting really close to my retirement, can you believe that? 27. People retire at like 30," she remarked.

When discussing her aspirations to have children, Sabalenka expressed her desire to start a family sooner rather than later, saying:

"I don’t want to have my first kid at 35."

Sabalenka further explained that she envisions having a child and returning to the tour, hoping to teach her child the importance of hard work. The three-time Grand Slam champion's comments were posted on X and some fans couldn't help but speculate about Sabalenka's potential pregnancy.

"Oh she’s so gonna by pregnant by us open," one fan wrote.

"Watch her getting pregnant this year ☠️" another fan wrote.

One fan asserted that this was not the time for her to get pregnant:

"GIRL NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR BABY FEVER"

One fan pointed out the harsh reality for female athletes, writing:

"Sad reality of women in sports who wish to have children… very hard to plan this and get back on top when back on tour. Men can just continue as if almost nothing happened."

One fan expressed support for Aryna Sabalenka’s desire to start a family, writing:

"Aryna would be such a good mom I feel like."

One fan voiced concern over the potential difficulty she might face when balancing motherhood with the demands of the tour, writing:

"Usually when a player gets pregnant and then comes back, it’s wraps for them I fear💀"

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Aryna Sabalenka defeats Sloane Stephens in the Australian Open 2025 1R

Aryna Sabalenka at the 2025 Australian Open - Day 1 - Source: Getty

On Sunday, January 12, Aryna Sabalenka began her quest to win a hat-trick of Australian Open titles. She defeated Sloane Stephens in the first round of the event.

Stephens was on an eight-match losing streak heading into the competition while the World No. 1 was fresh off of a title victory in Brisbane. Ahead of the match, Sabalenka admitted that she was wary of the "nothing to lose" mindset Stephens would possess during their match.

The 26-year-old eventually pulled off a 6-3, 6-2 win to kick off her defense successfully. She will now face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second round. The Spaniard defeated Sonay Kartal 6-1, 7-6.