Aryna Sabalenka is ‘really happy’ to have her boyfriend’s support at the US Open (exclusive)

Aryna Sabalenka is just one win away from reaching the US Open semi-finals – what she hopes will be her second Grand Slam win – and she is “really happy” to have the support of her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis through the ups and downs of this year.

“There was a really tough time where I was really glad to have him by my side, always cheering me up and always making sure we did some fun stuff,” the 26-year-old Australian Open champion tells PEOPLE in connection with her partnership with Dobel Tequila. “But I make sure that I kind of forget about tennis and focus on the good things and enjoy my life. Even when something goes wrong in my career. So yes, he was my biggest support and yes, I'm really glad to have him by my side.”

Six months after the death of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Kolstov in March, Sabalenka admits it has been a “difficult year.” A shoulder injury forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon, just weeks after she was knocked out of the French Open quarterfinals by illness.

Sabalenka skipped the Paris Olympics to prioritize her health – which helped her triumph at the Cincinnati Open last month.

“It was a really, really great tournament for me and I was super happy to win the title,” the Belarusian star tells PEOPLE.

All this prompted the world number 2 tennis player to enjoy a cocktail prepared with Dobel.

“I celebrated with tequila,” she says. “I mean, I'm growing up and my celebrations are getting a little different. I've probably gone from sweets to alcohol. I mean, in a good way, in a celebratory way, I would say.”

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At the US Open, visitors can treat themselves to a Marg-Aryna, a drink made with Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila, which Sabalenka describes as her “favorite.”

The tennis star has a few more rounds to go before she can kick off in New York. She will face No. 7 Zheng Qinwen on Tuesday, September 3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and has a shot at the semifinals on Thursday and the final on Saturday. Winning the Grand Slam, her second this year, would cap off Sabalenka's 2024 season.

The fact that things are coming full circle is not lost on the phenomenon as she looks back on the ups and downs of the year.

Over the summer, Sabalenka shared her feelings for Frangulis, the Brazilian CEO of superfood company Oak Berry, commenting on one of his Instagram photos that he was “the love of my life.”

“It was a fantastic start to the year, especially because we were able to repeat last year's result and start the year with the Grand Slam title again,” she tells PEOPLE. “It was really meaningful and very special. I was over the moon and in that moment I was super proud of my team and of myself that we were able to achieve such a big goal.”

She adds: “And then of course I faced a lot of challenges. But looking back now, I can say that it really was the best year of my career, and in some ways it was probably a really difficult year. But I'm really happy that I was able to get through it all with a strong mindset and still compete at my highest level, I think. That's something that me and my team can be proud of.”