Aryna Sabalenka lost her cool after losing the US Open 2026 title to Elena Rybakina. This also ended her bid for a three-peat of Grand Slams in New York. The World No. 2 star’s dream third consecutive US Open title ended in disappointment as she fell to the No. 1 tennis player 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the women’s final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The two-time defending champion struggled to contain her emotions throughout the match and afterward. She was captured going for the TV cameraman shooting her and even breaking her racket. Sabalenka received a warning for hitting a ball into the stands, smashing rackets during the contest, and continued the display of frustration once the match concluded.
'F*** off': No. 2 Sabalenka loses cool at TV cameraman, breaks racket after US Open final defeat to No. 1 Rybakina; video viral
Sabalenka was seen repeatedly striking a racket against the ground while Rybakina celebrated her victory, and later appeared to direct an expletive at a courtside camera while seated with her team.
In her runner-up speech, a tearful Sabalenka admitted the difficulty of the moment. “That’s the last thing I want to do right now is give a speech, but I’ll try my best,” she said, before congratulating Rybakina and expressing regret at her own level of play. “I wish I could perform a little bit better, but I guess next year.”
Rybakina’s composed performance secured her first US Open title and elevated her to world No. 1. Sabalenka later explained her outburst by saying it was tough to control emotions after losing a Grand Slam final while chasing a rare three-peat, adding that she needed to release the aggression and disappointment. The defeat marked another near-miss in a season of high expectations for the Belarusian star.
On the other hand, Rybakina won her very first title at the US Open, adding it to the list of two other Grand Slams, namely Wimbledon and the US Open. he is yet to win on the clay soil, and it remains to be seen when she grabs her first French Open title to complete the non-calendar-year Slam.
ALSO READ: No. 1 Rybakina wins 2026 US Open, breaks No. 2 Sabalenka's three-peat dream; Maria Sharapova hands over trophy