Aryna Sabalenka screamed "f*** off" at a TV camera operator as she seethed courtside following her US Open final defeat to Elena Rybakina.
The former world No.1, who surrendered her top ranking to her Kazakh rival at the semi-final stage of the tournament, was unable to contain her fury at the loss and took it out on the Grand Slam's working staff.
Racket Smash and Outburst
Shortly after her fate as runner-up was sealed by a 6-4 5-7 6-2 victory for Rybakina, Sabalenka embraced the new champion before making her way to her chair and smashing her racket in a fit of rage. Her temper continued to boil over when a TV camera operator edged closer to Sabalenka in an attempt to capture a close-up shot.
The Belarusian clocked what they were trying to do and attempted to wave them away with her hand while yelling "f*** off". The camera swiftly panned away, before cutting back to Rybakina, who was busy celebrating with her team and family, reports the Express.
Runner-Up Speech and Rybakina's Reaction
Sabalenka composed herself sufficiently to take to the stage and deliver a runner-up speech, though conceded it was the "last thing she wants" and struggled to hold back tears while praising Rybakina for her display.
"That's the last thing I want to do right now is do speech, but I'll try my best," she said. "Thank you, everyone. Thank you for support throughout the two weeks. It was amazing playing in front of you all."
"Obviously, I'm disappointed, but I want to congratulate Elena on an incredible year, an incredible result. Well deserved. Enjoy it, have fun tonight, tomorrow, and until the end of the season, so I can play and win some titles! Thank you."
"Thank you all of the sponsors for making this event possible and thank you everyone who helped me throughout this two weeks, I really felt like home here and I cannot wait to come back next year."
Meanwhile, Rybakina said: "It's tough to find words right now. I didn't expect anything like this coming to this tournament. I've been dealing a bit with an injury. Somehow everything aligned together on my side."
"I just want to say Aryna you're a great champion. It's so difficult to play you. You push to such a limit. I was doubting on the court and trying to get to all the possible balls. Congrats to you for all the achievements. Congrats to your team. You guys are doing an amazing job. I can't find the words now, sorry."
"I was coming here for the last ten years and was never successful. Nothing close to that. It's just incredible. I'm falling in love with New York more and more. It's amazing memories for me. Thank you guys."
