Italian Cuisine Dominates Aryna Sabalenka’s Priority List as She Hilariously Admits to Scheduling Concerns in Rome

Aryna Sabalenka’s bubbly nature is unmistakable. On court, she’s fierce and intense. Off court, her honest wit shines. She playfully blames her team for losses and stuns fans with exotic travel photos. With every city on tour, Aryna comes alive. But when in Rome? The Belarusian knows exactly how to enjoy herself, even at a high-stakes WTA 1000 event.

Last year, she faced Danielle Collins in the Italian Open semifinal. Despite the pressure, Aryna stayed relaxed, sharing nighttime city tour photos with the caption, “Italian street style .” She reached the final but lost to Iga Swiatek. This year, she’s back-stronger and just as quirky.

After beating Anastasia Potapova in her opening match on Friday, Aryna revealed her day’s plan in a cheeky post-match interview. Asked about her time in Rome and afternoon plans, she said, “Honestly, you know, I had the chance to play at seven PM or 11 AM, and I chose 11 because, you know why? Because I want to go to dinner, and I want to have pasta and probably pizza.”

“I had a chance to play at 7pm or 11am, and I choose 11 because I want to go for dinner and have pasta or pizza”

Safe to say Aryna Sabalenka enjoys the cuisine in Rome #IBI25 pic.twitter.com/PTq9byuOL8

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) May 9, 2025

She swept past Potapova in just over an hour, leaving plenty of time to explore Rome. The city’s culinary delights have clearly won her heart. Whether it’s carbonara or pizza, Sabalenka makes sure to savor local flavors. Her approach shows even top athletes balance work with pleasure.

The day before, she posted a lively Instagram carousel captioned, “Rome, I missed you!! (and your food ) ,” showing casual moments and tasty treats. With her first win secured, the No. 1 seed looks forward to a short celebration before the next match. She added, “So, yeah, I’ll probably go out for dinner. I’ll walk around the city; I love being in Rome-it’s an incredibly beautiful place.”

On court, Aryna seems more adapted to clay than in previous years. Her strategy this time? She focuses on staying relaxed and having fun, blending her fierce competitiveness with a lighter, more confident mindset.

Aryna opens up about being “stronger” in Rome this year.

Aryna Sabalenka came one win shy of the title in Rome last year, and her last two trips to Paris ended in bitter disappointment. Her 2024 Roland Garros quarterfinal against Mirra Andreeva was marred by illness, leading to a three-set defeat. “Right now, I’m stronger than ever, physically and mentally, and also my game improved a lot. So, I really hope this is the year where I’m going to look back on the clay-court season and be super proud of myself.”

Once a one-speed player, Sabalenka has embraced variety and continues to experiment with her shots. Against Potapova, she landed a drop shot winner and repeatedly flummoxed the world No. 34 with her defense. She even took flight for a jumping backhand on her first match point. “I’m playing with instinct,” the top seed said. “Whenever I feel like I can go for these kinds of shots, I go for them. I definitely feel confident in my game right now so I can kind of like, try new things in the game. Today, this shot with the jump didn’t work well. I hope next time I try it, it’s going to be a little bit better!”

Sabalenka adapted well to the shift from Madrid’s altitude to Rome’s slower clay courts, earning a chance at redemption against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. “That’s a good revenge then, a good opportunity to change that,” she said about facing Kenin again after last year’s loss. “I’ll try to do that.”

Off the court, Sabalenka plans to treat herself to authentic Roman cuisine, opting for carbonara after deciding on her ideal dinner table. “I’ll make sure my team orders pizza,” she laughed. “Then I can have a bite!” Will this fuel her next win against Kenin? Share your thoughts below!

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