"My tackle partner any day" - Ilona Maher reacts to Aryna Sabalenka naming the Olympian as her doubles pick

Ilona Maher recently picked tennis star Aryna Sabalenka as her tackle partner in the rugby sevens. Notably, Maher was among the standout performers for the USA at the Paris Olympics in rugby sevens where she played an instrumental role in earning the nation's bronze medal in the sport.

After finishing second in their group stage (C), the United States beat Great Britain in the quarters (17-7) to advance to the semis. However, in the semis, they lost to New Zealand (24-12) and had to settle to contest for the bronze medal. In the bronze medal playoff, the USA got the better of Australia, who was favored to win, by scoring a last-second try to take home the bronze medal.

Recently, Aryna Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion, was asked via the Cincinnati Open's Instagram handle who she would choose as her doubles partner. Sabalenka responded to the question, stating:

“I think I would pick Ilona Maher because I think she's so fun and so strong mentally and physically of course obviously.”

Ilona Maher reacted to Sabalenka's statement by adding that she would pick her as her tackle partner, writing:

“@arynasabalenka I’d pick you as my tackle partner any day”

Screenshot of Ilona Maher’s Instagram story. Credits - IG/ @ilonamaher

Although the term ‘tackle partner’ is not a recognized term in rugby sevens, Maher picking Sabalenka for the role indicated that she feels the tennis star would be great to have as a teammate during a tackle situation.

Like Maher, Sabalenka also had a remarkable 2024 campaign having claimed four victories on the WTA Tour this season, including the Australian Open, Cincinnati Open, US Open, and Wuhan Open.

Sabalenka is next set to compete at the 2024 WTA Finals, scheduled from November 2 to November 9, at the King Saud University Indoor Arena. With the form she is in, it won’t be surprising to see her win her first WTA Finals title.

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Ilona Maher shines on the stage of the 33rd season of Dancing With the Stars

Maher arrives at Dancing With The Stars on October 2, 2024 (Photo by Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images)

Ilona Maher is showing her dancing skills during the 33rd season of the American reality competition Dancing With the Stars along with her partner Alan Bersten.

Her most recent performance was a tribute to her Olympic medal-winning rugby team and teammates, where she performed rumba.

Catch a glimpse of her performance here -

The week’s show was themed ‘Dedication Night,’ implying that the performers were tasked with dedicating their acts to an inspirational figure or establishment.