Aryna Sabalenka’s sparkling diamond engagement ring stirs controversy as rivals could face an unexpected distraction during intense matches

Aryna Sabalenka had a light and funny moment with reporters during the BNP Paribas Open on March 6, 2026. The world No. 1 tennis player spoke about her new engagement ring and even joked that it could help her during matches.

Sabalenka said she hopes the bright diamond might distract her opponents while she is playing on court.The Belarusian star shared the comment during a press conference at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Palm Springs, California. The moment came just a few days after she announced that her longtime boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, had proposed to her. While speaking with reporters, Sabalenka smiled as she looked at the ring and explained that she had already checked whether it was safe to wear while competing in the tournament.

Aryna Sabalenka jokes shiny engagement ring could distract opponents during BNP Paribas Open

During the press conference, Aryna Sabalenka explained that she and her team had already made sure the ring would not be a problem during matches.“We double checked if there’s a possibility to lose a diamond, and there’s none, so I was pretty confident wearing this ring,” Sabalenka said while speaking to reporters at Indian Wells. She then laughed and added that the ring might even help her during a match.“It feels pretty comfy,” Sabalenka said while looking at the diamond.

“It feels shiny. I hope that my opponent will get distracted by this diamond and it’s going to benefit me.”Her comments came shortly after she won her second-round match at the tournament. On March 6, Sabalenka defeated Japanese player Himeno Sakatsume with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. The win kept the world No. 1 moving forward in the tournament.Sabalenka continued her strong run in the event. She later beat Romanian player Jaqueline Cristian 6-4, 6-1 to move safely into the round of 16 at Indian Wells.Just a few days earlier, on March 3, Sabalenka shared the news of her engagement on Instagram. She posted a video showing the moment Georgios Frangulis got down on one knee and proposed. The scene included pink flowers, candles, and rose petals placed around a pool.In the video, Sabalenka looked surprised as Frangulis asked the question. After she said yes, the couple hugged while the camera later showed a close view of her oval-cut diamond ring.The tennis star wrote a short message in the post: “You & me, forever.” The couple have been linked since 2024, when they were first seen together publicly.Interestingly, Sabalenka had joked about proposals even before this moment happened. During the US Open in August 2025, a fan proposed to his partner during one of her matches.After that match, Sabalenka laughed during a press conference and said, “I think it’s the first time that someone proposed during my match, and it was a very sweet moment. I looked at my boyfriend. No pressure!”