Aryna Sabalenka Smashed Her Racket to ‘Let Go of Aggression and Disappointment’ After US Open Upset to Elena Rybakina

For the first time since 2022, Aryna Sabalenka will end a season without a Grand Slam title to her name. At the US Open, the Belarusian ace suffered a three-set defeat to Elena Rybakina, failing to complete a historic three-peat.

Had she won the match, she would have become only the third woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows after Chris Evert and Serena Williams. Sabalenka made two finals in Majors this season, at the US Open and Australian Open, losing both to the Kazakh ace in three sets.

While Rybakina remained mostly calm and composed (she did show frustration multiple times), Sabalenka struggled to keep her emotions in check when things were not going as she planned. One time, after losing a point, she smashed the ball into the crowd and also flung her racket multiple times, including after Rybakina served an ace to seal the match.

Furthermore when Rybakina was celebrating her win, the camera panned toward a distressed Sabalenka sitting on her bench, destroying her racket. At the press conference later, Sabalenka said she had to let off steam before the trophy presentation, fearing she might end up saying something controversial.

It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in a final of a Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for a three-peat. If I were to hold it inside right now or on the court, I wouldn’t be able to say a word. I would go not really nice over there. I wanted to let go of all that aggression and disappointment outside.

Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference

Rybakina has improved her head-to-head record over the World No.1 to 8-10. Well, Sabalenka will no longer be ranked No.1 on Monday, as Rybakina has already dethroned her from the top in the live rankings.

I think it’s an incredible achievement. I don’t even know how many weeks I was able to be there. 99? Wow, that’s amazing. Let’s see if Elena can beat me in that. If she continues to play like that, then I am in trouble!

Aryna Sabalenka added

It was Sabalenka’s fifth final of the season and the first since completing the Sunshine Double in March by beating Coco Gauff in Miami. For Rybakina, it was her third title in her fifth final of the season, after wins in Melbourne and Stuttgart.

Elena Rybakina becomes the first player from Kazakhstan to win the US Open

Elena Rybakina scripted history for Kazakhstan. She will not only become the first player from the country to reach the top of the rankings but also has become the first player from the country to win the US Open. Back in 2022, she also became the first Kazakh to win a Grand Slam title when she beat Ons Jabeur at Wimbledon.

The message is just a big thank you for all the support and belief. I’m not there yet. I’m planning to come. I want to share this moment with all the people in Kazakhstan who supported who watched. Especially kids. I always say there are so many kids who are coming. Just coming to the tennis facilities, they all want to play tennis, which is a great thing.

Elena Rybakina said at the press conference

There were concerns regarding Rybakina’s participation when she suffered an injury during the Cincinnati Open, as a consequence of which she was forced to hand the walkover to Iga Swiatek in the fourth round. En route to the final, she eliminated an in-form Qinwen Zheng in the quarterfinals and 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff in the semifinal.

The last time Sabalenka won a Major was at last year’s US Open, by beating Amanda Anisimova. In the previous three US Open finals, the four-time Grand Slam singles champion had played home favorites (Gauff in 2023 and Jessica Pegula in 2024).

Also read: Alexander Zverev Believes He Can Win More Grand Slam Titles Than Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner After Reaching US Open Final