The Fashion Five: Aryna Sabalenka comes into her own, complete with a signature Nike look

No. 5: Aryna Sabalenka's quirky, on-trend personal style steals the show

Aryna Sabalenka reached long-awaited career breakthroughs in 2023, from winning her first Grand Slam trophy at Australian Open to reaching the world No. 1 ranking for the first time after making the US Open final.

But while her on-court feats have been drawing in famous fans—Barstool’s Dave Portnoy even bet the house on her in New York—it’s been her standout fashion that’s also grabbing attention from beyond the tennis world.

From her whimsical pink look at her Melbourne champion’s trophy photoshoot to a perforated dress at Wimbledon that divided the internet, here are some of the best looks Sabalenka served up in 2023.

Who can forget the joy on Sabalenka’s face when she won in Melbourne—especially after learning in Netflix’s Break Point that she had made a promise to her late father to win a Grand Slam before she turned 25.

Sabalenka, still 24, kept the good vibes going during her trophy photo shoot, an annual tradition for AO winners held this year at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. The newly crowned champion paired the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup with a dreamy pink blouse and skirt by Zimmerman, an acclaimed Australian luxury fashion label based in Sydney, and a pair of royal blue Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pumps.

According to the Herald Sun, the dress sold out online soon after Sabalenka was pictured in it. Talk about impact.

Sabalenka faced her biggest moment of the season in the build-up to the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season played on her favored hard courts. The Belarusian was hunting down not just a second major title, but also trying to snap world No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s long reign at the top.

Longtime sponsor Nike marked the occasion by creating a signature look for Sabalenka: a ‘Noble Red’ and coral racerback dress with an asymmetrical skirt and matching Nike Air Zoom NXT shoes.

“Probably because I won the Australian Open, of course that outfit is one of my favorites. But the US Open dress… There was something special about that dress,” Sabalenka said when asked about her favorite tennis kits of 2023.

“I felt really special (in it), and especially with, like, the ‘Barbie’ movie—I just felt like I'm on trend.”

In fact, Sabalenka’s trendy style means that she typically opts for bold Nike dresses on court, and as we’ve seen in 2023 she doesn’t mind a daring look.

While her Melbourne kit featured a colorful print, she was in all black with a pop of yellow-green at the WTA Finals. Even her Wilson Blade racquet matched perfectly—that’s called attention to details.

Over the summer, she wore what Britain’s DailyMail called “the dress that has taken Wimbledon by storm”: a perforated Nike racerback dress with a layered skirt. Fans were left divided on whether it was the hottest tennis look of the summer, or if it looked more like a doily draped over a lampshade—but either way, it kept people talking.

After the US Open final, Sabalenka put her disappointment behind her with the perfect consolation prize: the WTA’s world No. 1 ranking, thanks to Swiatek’s defeat earlier in the tournament. She rocked a menswear-inspired three-piece blazer set in a New York City photoshoot commemorating her rise to the top of the rankings.

And at the WTA Finals, Sabalenka stood out during the all-white Iconic Photo in Cancun with another whimsical dress—this time a minidress by Nadine Merabi. The dress' details fit the bubbly Belarusian to a tee, featuring embroidered lace with sequins, an asymmetrical feather hemline and full-length sleeves.

Stay tuned for the rest of Baseline's Top 5 list as we recap the 2023 tennis season.