Earlier this month, Aryna Sabalenka and her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, went on a double date with Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, in Greece. The World No. 1 recently revealed who organized their doubles date.
Sabalenka and Frangulis have been in a relationship for over a year, having been first spotted together during the 2024 Madrid Open. Frangulis is a Greek-Brazilian entrepreneur who founded the açaí superfoods brand Oakberry. Earlier this year, he also invested in the French Ligue 2 club, Le Mans FC, alongside Djokovic and Formula 1 drivers Kevin Magnussen and Felipe Massa.
What Did Aryna Sabalenka Say About the Planning of Double Date With Novak Djokovic?
Sabalenka is currently in Riyadh for the 2025 WTA Finals, scheduled to take place from November 1 to November 8, 2025, at the King Saud University Indoor Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition to the Belarusian, other qualified players include Iga Świątek, defending champion Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, and Jasmine Paolini.
During a pre-tournament press conference, Sabalenka was asked who set up the double date with Djokovic. She explained that she and the Serb had practiced together a few times, and during one of those sessions, Djokovic suggested the idea of going on a double date.
“Hmmm… Actually we saw each other on the courts. We were practicing. I don’t remember. We were just practicing together. We were at the same place. He was just like, Yeah, let’s go for the date. That’s how it happened. So Novak,” Sabalenka said.
In the lead-up to the 2025 WTA Finals, Sabalenka competed in the Wuhan Open, where she was a three-time defending champion. She reached the semifinals before losing to the eventual runner-up, Jessica Pegula.
Meanwhile, Djokovic last competed at the 2025 Shanghai Masters, reaching the semifinals before losing to the eventual champion, qualifier Valentin Vacherot.
Who Will Aryna Sabalenka Face First at the 2025 WTA Finals?
Sabalenka will face Paolini in her first group stage match at the 2025 WTA Final. The two players met in the group stage of last year’s season-ending tournament, where the World No. 1 won with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-5.
Sabalenka and Paolini have met seven times on the WTA Tour, with the World No. 1 winning five of those encounters. Their most recent match-up was in the semifinals of the 2025 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where Sabalenka emerged victorious with a score of 7-5, 6-4.
In the lead-up to the WTA Finals, Paolini competed at the 2025 Ningbo Open. She was seeded second and began her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She defeated Veronika Kudermetova in her opening match and then eliminated sixth seed Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals. Her run ended in the semifinals after she fell to third seed Rybakina.
In addition to her singles campaign at the 2025 WTA Finals, Paolini has also qualified for the doubles event. She has teamed up with compatriot Sara Errani, and they will face the pair of Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs in their opening match.
