Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, supported her from the players’ box during her opening-round win at the 2024 US Open. The couple later bantered about Frangulis’ intense expressions during her match, which were captured by the camera.
On Monday, August 26, Sabalenka eased past Australia’s Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 20 minutes to punch her ticket to the second round of the New York Slam. Despite the late-night finish, the World No. 2 enjoyed immense crowd support.
“Of course, thank you guys for staying that late and thank you so much for all the support. Yeah, it was really amazing playing in front of you all. Thank you,” Aryna Sabalenka said, acknowledging the crowd in her on-court interview.
Also devotedly supporting the 2023 runner-up throughout the contest were her coaching team and her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis. When the cameras panned over the players’ box, Frangulis was captured engrossed in the match, intently clapping and cheering Aryna Sabalenka on. He hilariously reacted to the clip after playing it back following the match.
“That all claps no smile pattern @arynasabalenka,” he joked on Instagram.
In response, the two-time Grand Slam champion teased her partner’s intense look.
“So focused,” she wrote, adding smileys and a heart emoji.
“Thank you to my boyfriend for keeping me happy” – Aryna Sabalenka to Georgios Frangulis following her Cincinnati win before US Open 2024
Aryna Sabalenka is enjoying a rather successful North American hardcourt swing. After commencing her campaign with a semifinal and a quarterfinal appearance at the Citi Open and the Canadian Open, respectively, the World No. 2 was victorious in Cincinnati, where she lifted her sixth WTA 1000 trophy.
Just like the US Open, her boyfriend, Frangulis, was present in Cincinnati to cheer her on. After beating home favorite Jessica Pegula in the final, Sabalenka thanked Frangulis for being a pillar of support. To the amusement of all present in the stadium, the Belarusian fumbled over her words, inadvertently calling him her “boyfriends.”
“Special thank you to my boyfriends… boyfriend, I said ‘boyfriends’ oh my god, that’s my terrible English guys,” she burst out laughing during her victory speech.
“Thank you to my boyfriend for keeping me happy every day, thank you,” she corrected.
Aryna Sabalenka and Georgios Frangulis were first spotted together at this year’s Madrid Open in May. She made their relationship public at the Italian Open a couple of weeks later, when she blew a kiss at him during her runner-up speech. Interestingly, Frangulis is the founder of Oakberry Acai, a healthy fast food brand that sponsors the tennis player.
The entrepeneur is likely to be present at Sabalenka’s US Open second-round match against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti on Wednesday, August 28.