By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Photo credit: ESPN
NEW YORK—Some players have loyal fan followings.
Aryna Sabalenka inspires impressionists.
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Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka came face-to-face with her Mini Me in Louis Armstrong Stadium today.
In the aftermath of her 6-3, 6-1 US Open second-round sweep of Lucia Bronzetti, the second-seeded Sabalenka spotted her mini doppelganger in the crowd and pulled her close for a photo.
The little girl was wearing the same purple Nike outfit and holding a toy Tiger in tribute to Sabalenka’s famous Tiger tattoo on her forearm.
Stop what you’re doing, we have the moment of the tournament from @SabalenkaA 😍🤗 pic.twitter.com/kH16B0EZyc
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2024
The 2023 US Open finalist said she spotted the young fan on the big screen—setting the stage for the cute meeting.
“It was really adorable moment. I just looked up, and I saw on the big screen, like, mini me,” Sabalenka said afterward. “It was so cute (laughing).
“It’s such a motivation to keep going to inspire the young generation. That’s the main goal. Yeah, that was very adorable moment.”
The former world No. 1 said it’s the first time a fan has gone full Sabalenka at one of her matches.
“The first time I see someone, like, dressing — dress up the same as me and having little tattoo and little tiger,” said Sabalenka, who will play 29th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in round three. “How cute is that?”
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