Aryna Sabalenka has drawn attention to herself with a conspicuous decision during her campaign at the 2026 Madrid Open. The world No. 1, who got engaged earlier this year, was spotted competing without her glittering diamond ring, despite assurances that it was perfectly safe to wear on court.
Aryna Sabalenka Removes Her Engagement Ring at the Madrid Open
Aryna Sabalenka received a memorable surprise before her campaign at Indian Wells, as her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, orchestrated a romantic proposal. After saying yes, the Belarusian ecstatically showed off her 12-carat ring, designed by Isabela Grutman, which is reportedly valued between $500,000 and $1 million.
Sabalenka did not shy away from wearing her dazzling ring on the court during her Indian Wells campaign, disclosing that there was no risk of losing the diamond. She even joked with reporters that its sparkle might serve as an unexpected distraction for her opponents.
“It’s very comfortable. We double-checked if there is a possibility to lose the diamond, and there is none, so I was pretty confident wearing this ring, and it feels comfy, feels shiny,” she said. “I hope that my opponent will get distracted with this diamond and it’s going to benefit me.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion lifted the Indian Wells trophy while donning her eye-catching new accessory. However, she chose not to wear her ring on court during her title-winning run at the Miami Open, a trend she has carried into the clay-court season.
Sabalenka kicked off her campaign at the Madrid Open against Peyton Stearns without her engagement ring, which she wears on her right hand for cultural reasons. She secured a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Stearns to advance to the third round, with her bare ring finger on display during the match.
The world No. 1 was also sans her engagement ring in the next round, beating Jaqueline Cristian 6-1, 6-4 to continue her hunt for her fourth Madrid Open title.
Although Sabalenka has opted to ditch her engagement ring while competing, she has been quick to slip it back on after leaving the court, with the ring visible during her post-match interviews and press conferences.
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It remains to be seen whether Aryna Sabalenka will stick to that approach for her high-profile clash against Naomi Osaka in the fourth round of the WTA 1000 event. Their head-to-head record is evenly poised at 1-1, though the world No. 1 claimed a 6-2, 6-4 victory in their most recent clash at this year’s Indian Wells Open.
