Why Tennis Champion Aryna Sabalenka's Custom Material Good Necklace Caught Our Attention

Most tennis players keep their jewellery minimal on court, if they wear any at all. Aryna Sabalenka is not like most players. When the world No. 1 walked onto Court Philippe-Chatrier for her first-round match at the 2026 French Open on May 26, she was wearing over 200 carats of garnets and 23 carats of diamonds around her neck. She then defeated Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 in straight sets. Not just her victory, now the jewellery she wore has become as much of a talking point as tennis.

The pieces were designed by Material Good, the New York luxury jewellery and timepiece house that Sabalenka has been the face of since the 2026 Australian Open. Founded in 2015 by Rob Ronen and Michael Herman — both veterans of the wholesale diamond business — Material Good opened its first location on a discreet second floor in SoHo, positioning itself as a private gallery. It now has four locations across New York, Miami, Boston, and Dallas, and counts LVMH among its backers.

What does the Jewellery Look Like?

The Roland Garros suite was designed by Material Good's head of design, Atara LeV, around a single concept: the red clay courts of the French Open. Three-layered necklaces were crafted with over 200 carats of deep crimson garnets and 23 carats of diamonds, with a mix of stone shapes to create a sense of movement on court. A matching pair of garnet and diamond earrings completed the suite. Sabalenka wore two of the three necklaces for her opening round. This is consistent with her on-court jewellery history. At the 2025 US Open, she wore a custom Material Good choker with eight pear-cut stones — seven white diamonds and one imperial topaz — alongside a tourmaline necklace and diamond drop earrings, each detail marking her eighth appearance at the tournament.

Sabalenka has never won the French Open. Her closest moment came last year, when she lost the final to Coco Gauff. A title at Roland Garros would put her one Grand Slam away from completing a career Grand Slam, having already claimed multiple titles at both the Australian Open and the US Open. She has never made a Wimbledon final, reaching only the semifinals. Her first-round victory at this year's French Open extended her consecutive Grand Slam first-round win streak to 22.