“We both love Oakberry!” Inside Aryna Sabalenka’s açaí love story with Georgios Frangulis

DUBAI—Aryna Sabalenka’s post-match press conference came to a hilarious conclusion at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships when a question about one of her sponsors required the world No. 1 to tell the whole story.

“Why do I like Oakberry?” Sabalenka asked, breaking into giggles.

Many already know that the partnership between Sabalenka and Oakberry goes deeper than the average açaí bowl, the reigning US Open champion explaining Wednesday night how she ultimately fell in love with the brand and later, its CEO Georgios Frangulis.

“They always had Oakberry bowls on some of the U.S. tournaments,” she recalled after a straight-sets victory over Veronika Kudermetova. “I always would have it after the match because it's quite healthy, tasty, and so refreshing if it's hot [outside].

“I don't know how. We just contact each other. I met the owner of the brand,” she said, guffawing over the subtext before clarifying, “No, at that point we were just signing the documents.Later on we became a couple.

“We both love Oakberry!”

Sabalenka, who later added that Frangulis will be pleased with the organic promotion, has been partnered with Oakberry for over two years, launching her signature açaí bowl ahead of the 2024 US Open.

“It’s a healthy snack and you can fill it with anything: carbs, protein, whatever you want,” she told me last summer. “So, it’s actually like a real meal, and it’s a good snack after the match for recovery as well.”

Might the combined power of açaí and love power Sabalenka to a first title in Dubai?