Aryna Sabalenka reacts emotionally following a US Open women’s singles final defeat by Elena Rybakina, including smashing her racket and exchanging harsh words with a camera operator. Rybakina wins the match 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 at Flushing Meadows to claim her first US Open title.
Sabalenka, who won the tournament in 2024 and 2025, was aiming to become only the third woman in the Open Era to win the US Open three consecutive times. In post-match comments, she says the racket smash is her way of releasing intense disappointment and aggression, adding that holding those feelings inside would affect her ability to speak on court and immediately afterward.
Other reporting adds that Sabalenka also appears upset about being filmed near the chair area. She waves away the operator and shouts an expletive directed at the cameraman moments after the match, though she still attends the trophy ceremony and delivers her runner-up speech, expressing that giving the speech was the last thing she wanted to do.
Across outlets, the match outcome and Sabalenka’s on-court emotional breakdown are consistent, while the additional focus differs between her explanations for the racket smash and the incident involving the cameraman.
