Belarus' Sabalenka smashes racket and swears at cameraman after losing U.S. Open final
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Sabalenka lost to Rybakina in the final (Photo: Eurosport broadcast)
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka lost the 2026 U.S. Open final to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, then reacted angrily on court after the match.
Immediately after the final point, Sabalenka smashed her racket in frustration. Later, the Belarusian player was heard swearing at a cameraman who was filming her from close range, telling him to “f**k off.”
Sabalenka failed to win the U.S. Open for a third straight year. She will finish the 2026 season without a Grand Slam title, and on Sept. 14, she will lose her No. 1 ranking, with Rybakina set to take over the top spot.
In 2020, Sabalenka signed a public letter supporting Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko during protests in Belarus.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched with Belarus’ support, Sabalenka avoided direct answers about the war and did not explicitly condemn the actions of either her country or Russia, saying she did not want to comment on politics. In 2023, she said: “I'm not supporting the war, meaning I don't support Lukashenko right now.”
Sabalenka last won a tournament in March, when she beat Coco Gauff in the final of the WTA 1000 event in Miami.
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