Sabalenka addresses Wimbledon emotional outbursts after French Open quarterfinal loss

"I do things that I’m not proud of": Aryna Sabalenka explains the surprising reason behind her emotional outbursts and racket-smashing moments

Ahead of Wimbledon, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defended her habit of yelling at her box and smashing rackets during matches, saying she asked her team to accept these outbursts as a mental release mechanism. Speaking to The Guardian following her shock French Open quarterfinal exit to Diana Shnaider, Sabalenka said trying to suppress her emotions was psychologically destructive. She credited significant on-court improvement since the 2023 Netflix documentary Break Point and opens her Wimbledon campaign against Teodora Kostovic on June 29.

8 hours ago

‘I understand why some people think I’m a bitch’: world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on screaming, stunt matches, and why she’s much nicer off court

Last month she had a post-defeat meltdown and insisted she was done with tennis. On the eve of Wimbledon, she talks about what really happened – and why her ‘aggressive’ face gives people the wrong impressionIt’s less than a month since Aryna Sabalenka told the world that she felt like walking away from tennis. The world No 1 had suffered an almighty implosion. Sabalenka is as famous for her implosions as she is for her on-court ferocity. But this was a different level.She had been playing at her imperious best in the French Open, one of tennis’s four major tournaments. Winner after winner from the back of the court, and when she bullied her opponents back to the baseline she’d dupe them with the most delicate drop-shot. In the last 16 against Naomi Osaka she looked invincible. And then came the quarter-final. By now, all her main rivals were out. The 28-year-old had a clear path through to winning her fifth grand slam singles title. Again, she was playing well against the world’s No 25, Diana Shnaider. Sabalenka won the first set easily, 6-3, and was 5-3 up in the second set. Victory was an inevitability. And then it happened. One game lost. Then another. And another. The wind had picked up, playing conditions got ever worse, the organisers failed to close the roof. And Sabalenka was walloping shot after shot out of court. Continue reading...

1 day ago