WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka smashes and DUMPS her racket in a bin after ‘heartbreaking’ loss to Coco Gauff in the US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka throws her racket after her loss at the US Open finals.

WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka smashes and DUMPS her racket in a bin after ‘heartbreaking’ loss to Coco Gauff in the US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka (Credits: Yahoo Movies UK)

The defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka was defeated in three sets by Coco Gauff on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with her performance fluctuating throughout the match.

The 25-year-old was defeated 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 by Gauff, who became the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams in 2001.

YouTube video

After the match, Sabalenka decided to get rid of the “bad energy” as she threw her racket away. Sabalenka controlled early on, her power game scaring her 19-year-old opponent, but the American began to catch up with the blows and her scrambling caused the Belarusian to lose her way.

FS Video

For most of the second and third sets, the second seed cut a frustrated figure, and she even tried to change things up by changing her racket numerous times, but she never regained her spark.

Keep exploring: WATCH: Madison Keys BREAKS DOWN in tears during her press conference as she leaves the room within ‘2 minutes’ after ‘heartbreaking’ loss to Aryna Sabalenka at US Open

Aryna Sabalenka on losing the US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff (Credits: USOpen.org)
Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff (Credits: USOpen.org)

Sabalenka was asked what went wrong after such a spectacular first set during the post-match news conference, and she said that in the first set, she was dealing with my emotions fairly well. She was preoccupied with herself, not with the audience or her movements.The American was also definitely moving amazingly that day.

She went on to say But then, in the second set, she undoubtedly began to overthink, and as a result, she began to lose power, and Gauff began to move better. She began to miss a lot of simple shots.

She further added, “I mean, the good news is that it’s me against me. The bad one is that I’m still having these issues playing against myself. I would say sorry, but that’s okay. I’ll work harder, so next time I’m not going to get even a little bit tired on court, and so I’ll be better.”

Despite her defeat in the final, Sabalenka may take a lot of positives from her run at the US Open, as she will become the women’s world No. 1 for the first time in her career on Monday, surpassing Iga Swiatek.

In case you missed it: