MELBOURNE – Just moments after letting go her third consecutive Australian Open title, Aryna Sabalenka vented her frustration by shouting toward her team and smashing her racquet.
“It was tough. I just needed time for myself, to switch gears and leave it behind to stay respectful. I needed to smash the racquet and take a moment alone,” Sabalenka explained during the press conference following her loss to Madison Keys in the Melbourne final.
Despite the emotional blow, the Belarusian’s anger dissipated during the trophy ceremony at Rod Laver Arena. The key to her quick recovery lay in that immediate release of frustration and a brief escape to the locker room while the stage was being prepared on Melbourne Park’s centre court.
“It’s okay. I’ll see you next year,” Sabalenka said with a smile during the trophy presentation. She was speaking to the same trophy she had lifted in the previous two years.
For the world No. 1, this was no ordinary loss. She missed the chance to become the sixth player in history to achieve a Melbourne hat-trick and only the fourth of the 21st century to win three consecutive titles at any Grand Slam, joining Justine Henin, Serena Williams, and Iga Swiatek
After eliminating the negative feelings, the Belarusian smiled during the trophy ceremony. There, and later in the press room, Sabalenka was relaxed, optimistic, and proud.
“The blame is on you, I don’t want to see you next week, I really hate you,” she joked with her team amid the ceremony, laughing. “I want to be an example, but not for the other players, for the people outside of tennis,” she said with a laugh when asked about Keys’ comment before the final, where she said she was inspired by Sabalenka and her way of handling the decisive moments in matches.
“I’m super proud. Achieving that many consecutive wins in a Grand Slam is crazy. That’s something already. When someone achieves the same, they’ll mention the name of the last player who did it, and it will be mine. That means something big. I couldn’t even imagine something like that a couple of years ago,” she reflected on her 20 consecutive wins in Melbourne. A reign of 740 days.
And although she didn’t hide her frustration for not taking home the trophy, she kept focusing on the positive. “When you reach the final, it’s the trophy or nothing. No one remembers the finalists, no one puts your name next to the winner’s. At that point, I’m going for the titles, but of course, I must still be proud of myself for reaching three consecutive finals, it’s crazy,” she added.
She ended the day with a post on her social media where she is seen posing with the recognition given to the finalists, alongside her team. “What a start to the year and season,” and “Australia, thank you for the hospitality. The atmosphere you create for me in each match makes me feel at home,” were part of the phrases accompanying the photo.