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Aliaksandra Sasnovich may have exited the Australian Open after her defeat to Jessica Peluga, but the 28-year-old Belarusian still has some years left in her, and will be hoping to best her fourth round personal record at a Grand Slam singles event in the future.
In 2018, WTA Tennis described her as a “fast-rising” player. If New York is “jazz,” it sang, “Sasnovich is a one-woman symphony.”
She would speak in “syncopated staccato,” and conduct her quotes with “rhythmic hand gestures, seemingly able to match frenetic pace set by the locals.”
That year, she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon. Last year, she did the same at the French Open. And, coming from a sporting family, Sasnovich has her parents – at least to an extent – to thank for her successes.
Who are Aliaksandra Sasnovich’s parents?
Her mother’s name is Natalia, and her father is Alexander Sasnovich – Aliaksandra wished him a happy Father’s Day with a photo on Instagram in June 2020.
Both of Sasnovich’s parents are “athletes in their own right,” according to an interview she gave with WTA Tennis in 2018.
Natalia played basketball, while her father played hockey and tennis for two decades on the senior circuit. Both made “major sacrifices” to keep Aliaksandra on the court, she said.
The family didn’t have much money when Sasnovich was growing up, so it “wasn’t easy.”
What did Sasnovich’s parents do to enable her to play tennis?
Her mother Natalia “sold her engagement ring” when Alaiksandra was young so that she could play tennis, Sasnovich told WTA Tennis during her far-reaching interview.
“My dad has been with me my entire career,” she continued. “Without him, I am nothing, no chance to play.”
She decided to become a professional athlete at the age of 13. Four years earlier, she had been playing “as a kid, just for myself.”
By 2018, she had been playing professionally for over a decade. Now, age 28, she’s been a pro tennis player for 15 years. “Other players started earlier,” she mused, “but I think if I had started younger, I might not have even wanted to continue.”
Does she have any siblings?
Yes, Aliaksandra Sasnovich has one sister, whose name is Polina.
They grew up together in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Belarus is a landlocked country in eastern Europe. It borders Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
Most of its population are ethnic Belarusians, although there are sizeable Russian, Polish and Ukrainian minorities. Its official languages are Belarusian and Russian, and Polish, Ukrainian and Yiddish are recognised as minority languages.
Sasnovich reportedly speaks English, Belarusian, Russian and some French. Her dream? To win Wimbledon.
What are some of her career highlights?
Sasnovich first reached the final of a major tournament in 2015 at the Korea Open, in Seoul.
Then, three years later, she reached her first Premier final at the Brisbane International. She lost to Eline Svitolina – a Ukrainian – then the third seeded player.
Which might give the impression that she has peaked. However, Aliaksandra Sasnovich reached her best singles ranking, No 29, on September 19, 2022.
So she may have some momentum left within her. She has so far won 11 singles and seven doubles titles on the ITF circuit. At the 2019 US Open, she reached a Grand-Slam semifinal in doubles, alongside Viktoria Kuzmova, from Slovakia.
