Former doubles star Rennae Stubbs has expressed her disappointment over Aryna Sabalenka’s emotional outburst following her defeat in the Australian Open final, stating that it “was really not a good look” for the world No. 1. Sabalenka, who entered the final as the favorite, was beaten 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 by Madison Keys, who claimed her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne.
Sabalenka, a two-time defending champion, had been riding an impressive 20-match win streak at the Australian Open, making her loss to the 19th seed all the more surprising. The Belarusian’s frustration was evident in the aftermath of the match, with cameras capturing her visibly upset as she directed anger towards her box. However, she later embraced Keys warmly as the American celebrated her victory.
In a dramatic turn of events, Sabalenka was seen smashing her racket before walking off the court to compose herself. She later returned for the trophy presentation. Stubbs, who is a six-time major winner and former world No. 1 in doubles, believes that Sabalenka’s frustration stemmed from a controversial line call during the final game of the match, when Keys’ return was deemed in. Still, the Australian was critical of the way Sabalenka handled the situation.
On her podcast, Stubbs said, “I think the reason why Sabalenka lost her mind after the match, which was not a good look, was that she thought the return was out [during the final game].” She continued, “When you see her reaction to her box, she basically says she thought the return was out, which is why she lost her mind. But that was not a good look for her, and breaking the racket was really not a good look for her.” Despite Sabalenka’s graciousness during her speech after the match, Stubbs added, “If there was one moment she would want to take back – it’s like you can’t take that moment away from Madison.”
Despite Stubbs’ criticism, Sabalenka received support from former WTA star Andrea Petkovic, who pointed out that Sabalenka’s emotional nature is part of what makes her such a compelling player. “You live and you die by the sword that you swing,” Petkovic said. “If we love Sabalenka for the emotions that she displays, we have to take the bad emotions with it. We can’t have all the funny dances and the warrior in her without having the other part of it as well.”
Sabalenka’s loss in Melbourne was particularly significant as she was aiming for her fourth Grand Slam singles title, which would have added to her two Australian Open titles and the 2024 US Open title. Additionally, she had the opportunity to become just the sixth woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, a feat not accomplished since Martina Hingis in 1999.
Reflecting on her defeat after the match, Sabalenka acknowledged the emotional toll the loss had taken. “There definitely was a bit of frustration because I was so close to achieving something crazy,” she said. However, she quickly focused on moving forward, stating, “I just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end so I could give a speech, not stand there being disrespectful. I was just trying to let it go and be a good person.”
Sabalenka’s ability to reflect on the situation in a mature manner is evident, as she concluded, “It’s OK. I mean, I’m the one who knows that after tough losses, there are good wins. So I’ll keep working and make sure that next time, if I’ll be in this situation, I’ll play definitely better.”