Aryna Sabalenka entered the 2024 US Open final as the No. 2 tennis player in the world and in search of her first win at the tournament and her third Grand Slam win.
The 26-year-old Belarus native did indeed outlast American Jessica Pegula to capture her first US Open. She’s one of the game’s fiercest competitors, something fans may have noticed throughout her decorated professional career. Something else fans may have noticed is Sabalenka’s ink, as she has a portrait of a tiger on the inside of her left forearm.
More attention was drawn to Sabalenka’s tattoo during the US Open final as a result of her coach, Jason Stacy. He was spotted in her box with his own (likely temporary) ink on his bald head. Here’s more on Sabalenka’s ink and her coach’s tribute.
Aryna Sabalenka tiger tattoo, explained
Born in 1998, Sabalenka entered the world in the year of the tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac. Her tattoo is inspired by her birth year and her admiration for the animal.
“I was born in the year of the tiger and one day, I was sleeping and dreaming of a tattoo of a tiger and I just made it one day. I would like to have a nice walk with a tiger to have a nice picture with them — to touch them, to feel them,” Sabalenka explained during a Tennis Channel interview.
As Sabalenka’s tiger tattoo is one of her signature features, her coach made his allegiances clear with the temporary tattoo on his forehead for the 2024 US Open final. With each mention of him on the broadcast, Stacy’s temporary tattoo took the spotlight.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
This is so cool from Jason Stacy, #USOpen #USOpen2024 #Sabalenka pic.twitter.com/1r8lflZsG8
— Tennisfanatic (@Tennisfana83769) September 7, 2024
Sabalenka star is a two-time winner of the Australian Open. After coming up short in the 2023 US Open Final, she looks to add another Grand Slam win to her resume as she faces off against Jessica Pegula in the 2024 championship match in Flushing Meadows.
