Aryna Sabalenka explains why she had furious meltdown after losing Australian Open final

Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka has revealed she smashed her racquet in frustraion after losing the Australian Open final because she had been “so close close to achieving something crazy”. The world No.1 had been the red-hot favourite to join the greats in tennis history by completing a hat-tricks of title wins here. But No.19 seed Madison Keys stunned the Belarusian 6-3 2-6 7-5 to win her first Grand Slam title. The American broke down in tears after her victory while Sabalenka broke her racquet in fury before crying into her towel and then leaving the Rod Laver Arena.

She returned for the trophy ceremony and gave a dignified speech before opening up on her emotions in a composed post-match press conference. “There definitely was a bit of frustration because I was so close to achieve something crazy,” she said. “When you're out there, you're fighting, but it seems like everything going not the way you really want to go. “I just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end just so I could give a speech, not stand there being disrespectful. I was just trying to let it go and be a good person, be respectful. It's okay. I mean, I'm the one who knows that after tough losses, there is good wins. So I'll keep working and make sure that next time, if I'll be in this situation, I'll definitely play better.”

Aryna Sabalenka destroyed her racket

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Asked why she had left the court, she said: “Yeah, that was tough. I just needed that time for myself to like switch off and forget and leave it in the best and be respectful, not be - I don't know. “I just wanted to be respectful. I just needed to throw those stuff out and needed some time with myself. Yeah, that's definitely really tough. I was standing there and just was like: ‘Okay, c'mon, you've been in her position. She deserves that. She was better player than you’. Just, you know, it was tough.” Sabalenka had won 20 consecutive matches at Melbourne Park - and was bidding to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1999 to complete the three-peat. Fellow legends Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Stefi Graf and Monica Seles also achieved the feat.

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