- An emotional Sabalenka broke her racket after she lost to Madison Keys in the final
- After the game she was seen while she was urinating on her trophy
- She spoke about her lack of interest in becoming second as 'nobody remembers the finalist'
Fans have attacked Aryna Sabalenka and her coaching team because of a video in which they seem to show as if they pee over her Australian open trophy.
The number 1 in the world remained devastated after she lost 6-3 2-6 7-5 to Madison Keys in the final of the ladies 'skeleton game, but they are her actions both during and after the game that fans' attention have drawn.
The defeat denied Sabalenka a third consecutive victory on the Aussie open after she won the tournament in 2023 and 2024. It was Keys's first Grand Slam final since 2017 and her first major victory, which meant a shock against the coveted Sabalenka.
After the game, however, images on social media seemed to show that both the player and two members of her technical staff laughed while they pretended to be urinating on her second trophy.
Sabalenka, her friend Geogios Frangulis and her fitness coach Jason Stacy were seen while they performed pelvic stumps over the trophy that lay on the floor while they laughed.
Fans were not too friendly about the incident and went to social media to bash the acts.
Fans show Aryna Sabalenka a video in which she seems to show as if she is urinating over her Australian Open-Trophy
Sabalenka became second in the ladies' skeleton and missed a third title in a row
Fans claimed via social media that the deed, recorded on video, was 'disrespectful' and 'so not okay'
“Isn't that disrespectful,” one fan posted on X, formerly Twitter, while another wrote: “What a disgusting and disrespectful actions. They deserve a statement and public apology for this terrible gesture. “
A third added: 'So not okay. Even if they are joking. “
Sabalenka said she was not interested in becoming second, despite reaching another final in the competition.
She said: “I think if you reach the final, it is a trophy or nothing,” she said. 'Nobody remembers the finalist, you know? Nobody has put (the) name of the finalist next to the winner.
'At the moment I go for titles. Of course I have to be proud of myself with the finals, three finals in a row. That's something crazy.
“I hope that next year I will come back as a better player, and that I can win Daphne (the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup) one more time.” But fans did not believe the excuse and continued to criticize her.
The one wrote: “I'm glad she didn't win,” while another added: “Wow … so disrespectful.” A third posted: “No class, disrespectful of Sabalenka and team.”
The Belarusian had to reach the final in the hard way and defeated her good friend Paula Badosa in the semi-final, but could not produce the power to defeat one of the biggest batteries in the game.
Sabalenka also hit her racket on the ground after losing the Australian Open-final
Fans continued to criticize her on social media and emphasized that it contained 'no class'
She burst into tears under her towel after she had lost the final, where she also broke her racket out of frustration.
After she had congratulations Keys, Sabalenka covered her face with her towel in the presence of the 15,000 fans in the Rod Laver Arena before rushing to her dressing room.
This was Keys's first Grand Slam final since 2017 and her first major victory, which meant a shock against the coveted Sabalenka.
