Aryna Sabalenka is not only dominating on the court as the world No. 1 and a three-time Grand Slam champion — she’s now leading the WTA on social media too. The Belarusian has officially become the most followed active WTA player on Instagram, overtaking Naomi Osaka in follower count. In an era where off-court influence is almost as important as on-court success, this marks a big milestone in Sabalenka’s rise as a global sports figure.
While Grand Slam titles and rankings are the core of a tennis legacy, marketability increasingly shapes how athletes are perceived, endorsed, and remembered. A player’s charm, relatability, and social media presence now play a huge role in shaping public image — and Sabalenka ticks all the boxes.
As of now, Sabalenka boasts 2,812,600 Instagram followers, just edging past Osaka’s 2,811,916. This small but significant shift signals Sabalenka’s growing influence, particularly considering Osaka’s long-standing popularity and mainstream media presence.
Looking beyond Instagram, however, Osaka still retains an overall edge. When combining followings across Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok, Osaka leads with nearly 5 million total followers, while Sabalenka is behind with approximately 3.9 million. Notably, Sabalenka…
