NEW YORK: Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka admitted that the pressure of chasing a hat-trick of US Open titles made it difficult to control her emotions as her title defence ended with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 defeat by Elena Rybakina on Saturday.
Sabalenka struggled to contain her frustration during the final, firing a ball into the crowd before later smashing her racket as Rybakina pulled away in the deciding set.Sabalenka said the pain of losing final while chasing a third straight title made it difficult to control her emotions.
“It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for three-peat,” Sabalenka said.“I just wanted to let it go, because if I would hold it inside. I wouldn’t be able to say a word. I would just go not really nice over there.”
Rybakina remained composed throughout the contest and used her powerful game to overcome Sabalenka’s aggressive approach, claiming her third Grand Slam title and first US Open crown.The defeat came after Rybakina had already ended Sabalenka’s 99-week reign as world number one.
Sabalenka also missed the chance to reward the supportive Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.“I felt like, ‘Oh, my God, I feel American over there’,” she said. “I just wish I could win it and feel the support even more. Yeah, not this year.”The loss denied Sabalenka the chance to join Serena Williams and Chris Evert as the only women in the professional era to win three consecutive US Open titles.
