In a thriller at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena, American Madison Keys ranked No. 1 women's singles player Arina Sabalenka won the Australian Open on Saturday.
After shaking hands with Victor, Sabalenka released her emotions with her racket.
Sabalenka, who was trying to become the first Australian player since Martina Hingis to win three straight Opens, fell to Keys 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the match. title.
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Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts after the women's singles final against Madison Keys of the United States at the Australian Open Tennis Championships on Saturday, January 25, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Sabalenka waved at Keys at the net, followed by the chair referee, but she was seen slamming her own racket and throwing it onto the bench.
Sabalenka then covered her face with a towel and then stormed the locker room.
The heat of a competition that isn't ultimately going your way can be hard to swallow at the moment, and Sabalenka said as much in the post-fight press conference.
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“There was definitely a little bit of frustration because I was so close to accomplishing something crazy,” she said, according to the New York Post. “When you're out there, you're fighting, but it looks like you're doing everything the way you really want it to (it's not).”
Sabalenka added that she “needs to finally throw those negative emotions away,” which she literally did to Wilson Luckett. She said she needed to do it.
“I was trying to let it go and be a good person,” Sabalenka said.
Bringing out raw emotion seemed to work, as Sabalenka was seen joking with her team after the loss.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Aryna Sabalenka interviews after her match against Spain's Paula Badosa in the women's singles semi-finals at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Mike Frey-Imagn image)
“As always, it's your fault,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t want to see you next week. I really hate you.
However, Sabalenka returned to a serious note.
“I think we did our best,” Sabalenka said. “Madison was playing unbelievably. I couldn't do anything in this match. Next time I play against Madison, I'll bring better tennis.”
As for Key, she also showed her love for Sabalenka, calling it an “incredible performance” on her part. She also said that at 29 years old, she never expected to win a Grand Slam despite coming close in the past.
“From a fairly young age, I felt that if I had never won a Grand Slam, I probably wouldn't have lived up to what people thought I should be.''
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during the women's singles final against Madison Keys of the United States at the Australian Open Tennis Championships on Saturday, January 25, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (ap photo/ng han guan)
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“So I've finally gotten to a place where I'm proud of myself and proud of my career, Grand Slam or not. I've finally gotten to a place where I would have been okay if it hadn't happened. It's about feeling like I have a good career and that I deserve to be talked about as a great tennis player.
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