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INDIAN WELLS: World number one Aryna Sabalenka made a sparkling appearance at the Indian Wells Open on Friday, not only cruising into the next round but also debuting her engagement ring during her second-round victory.
The Belarusian star defeated Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume 6-4, 6-2 in a commanding performance, but much of the attention also fell on the striking oval-cut diamond ring she wore during the match.
Sabalenka recently got engaged to her Brazilian fiance, Georgios Franguli, with the proposal taking place earlier this week.
The 27-year-old revealed after the match that she felt confident wearing the ring during competition and had taken precautions to ensure it was safe.
“I was pretty confident wearing this ring,” Sabalenka told reporters. “It feels super comfortable and shiny.”
She added that her team had carefully checked whether there was any risk of the diamond coming loose during play.
“We double-checked if there was a possibility to lose the diamond, and there was none,” she said with a smile. “I was pretty confident wearing it, hoping it might even distract my opponent.”
Sabalenka, who has reached the final of the prestigious WTA 1000 event twice in the past three years, also shared details about the emotional moment when Franguli proposed.
According to the world number one, the proposal came as a complete surprise, although members of her team were aware of the plan beforehand.
“I saw Georgios, and I was crying half the time,” she said. “I thought I looked ugly and not prepared, and this is such a beautiful moment.”
Aryna Sabalenka joked that she even tried to control how the moment was captured on camera.
“I asked the videographer and photographer to make sure my face wasn’t in the pictures, just the ring or side views, because I didn’t want people to see how I looked,” she said. “But it was a beautiful moment.”
Franguli is the chief executive of global health-food brand OakBerry, and Sabalenka lightheartedly reflected on what they have learned about each other since they began dating in 2024.
“What have I learned about him? He likes OakBerry a lot,” she joked. “And what he has learned about me? That I’m crazy.”
READ: Aryna Sabalenka opens Indian Wells bid with dominant win
