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Aryna Sabalenka paid a touching tribute to her late father after defending her US Open title. Sabalenka's dad, Sergey, died suddenly, aged 43, at the end of 2019. After his death, the Belarusian tennis star revealed that it was their dream for her to reach No. 1 in the world and win multiple Grand Slam titles before she turned 25.

Sabalenka is now 27 years old, has been the world No. 1 for the last 11 months, and has four Majors to her name. After lifting her second US Open trophy in Flushing Meadows on Saturday night, the top seed said she wanted to put their family name in the history books.

"It means a lot. You know, when he passed away, you know, I was very depressed. It was a tough moment for me, for my family," the world No. 1 said.

"But in that moment, I decided to take it as motivation, to put our family name in the history. I know that he's - I want to believe, and I think I feel his protection from up there, and I know that he became my power. So it means a lot."

Sabalenka opened up on her father's death in the Netflix docuseries Break Point, which was filmed before she had lifted a Major trophy, and released in early 2023.

"I lost my father four years ago. We had one dream, that before 25, I will win a couple of Grand Slams," she said at the time of filming.

"When he passed away, I started thinking too much about it. Now I'm 24 and there is zero in my pocket."

Aged 24, Sabalenka finally realised their dream when she became a Grand Slam champion for the first time at the 2023 Australian Open. She managed to defend her title in Melbourne a year later, officially making her a two-time Major winner when she was still only 25 years old.

But her latest Grand Slam trophy may be the sweetest of them all, after Sabalenka suffered two heartbreaking losses in the Australian Open and French Open finals earlier this year.

She explained: "I think because of the finals earlier this season, this one felt different. You know, this one felt like I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one.

"I knew that, you know, the hard work we put in, like, I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season. So, yeah, when I fell, it was like truly emotions, because it means a lot to defend this title and to bring such great tennis on court.

"And to bring the fight and be able to handle my emotions the way I did in this final, it means a lot. I'm super proud right now of myself."

Sabalenka also reached No. 1 in the world for the first time in September 2023. She stayed there for eight weeks before Iga Swiatek reclaimed the top spot.

But the Belarusian has set herself apart in the last year. She returned to the No. 1 position in October 2024 and is starting her 47th consecutive week as the world's best player.

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