Sabalenka’s Coach Recalls Financial Sacrifices on Road to $50M Career

Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 women’s tennis player, has earned more than $50 million throughout her career, placing her second on the all-time WTA career earnings list behind Serena Williams. Her performance coach, Jason Stacy, shared that Sabalenka and her team have only recently been able to spend freely due to the costly nature of the sport.

In an interview with Front Office Sports, Stacy recounted how he and head tennis coach Anton Dubrov were once sharing hotel rooms and searching for cheap flights even when Sabalenka, now 28, was already a consistent Top 10 player. At the time, Sabalenka was personally covering all expenses including flights, food, hotel stays, and salaries for the entire team, as there were no sponsorship deals available.

Jason Stacy and Anton Dubrov joined Sabalenka's team in 2018 and 2020 respectively, agreeing to lower salaries in exchange for a percentage of tournament winnings. Stacy emphasized that their agreement was to support Sabalenka's success as part of the team, not for personal gain. As Sabalenka has solidified her position as one of the dominant players on tour, her earnings have increased significantly, with at least $8.2 million in tournament prize money every year since 2023.

Despite her vulnerability in the No. 1 spot heading into the US Open, Sabalenka remains focused on continuing her success. She acknowledged the commonality of setbacks in athletes' careers and the importance of maintaining belief in the process. Stacy also noted that Sabalenka's success has led to additional sponsorship deals, including a recent partnership with health supplement brand IM8, which has benefited both her and his team.

Despite the financial rewards, Sabalenka has intentionally avoided reflecting too much on her journey, preferring to stay present and focused on the future.