Aryna Sabalenka, the 28-year-old tennis player, posted a leopard-print bikini photo on Instagram on a beach, shortly after slipping to world No. 2 in the WTA rankings.
Fans rallied around her, praising the picture that shows her walking into the ocean at sunset, wearing a tiny swimsuit, black sunglasses and wind-swept hair.
The world number two wrote in the caption, "running around on a beach and tennis court near you." She also added a splash-in-the-waves shot with friend Lolita Lazarenko, who wore a blue denim-look bikini.
Another image featured Sabalenka in a covered-up selfie, sporting a white baby tee printed with "the coolest woman you know."
The post quickly amassed almost 200,000 likes within hours, with commenters calling her "beautiful," "the spirit," and "the brightest on the court and off it."
Sabalenka is no stranger to bold photos; she previously posed in a tight black leotard for Time Magazine in August.
The latest beach look follows her loss of the world-leading spot at the US Open, where she beat Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and Jessica Pegula to reach the final but could not prevent Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina from securing the top ranking.
Her 2026 season will conclude at Indian Wells, with the WTA Finals beginning on Sunday, November 8.
