Reason world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka stormed off, smashed racquet after Australian Open finals loss

Aryna Sabalenka has defended her racquet throwing and walking off court as a way to get in the right headspace after her defeat.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was overcome by frustration when American Madison Keys took the 2025 Australian Open women’s singles title on Saturday night – smashing a racquet and walking off court.

The 26-year-old could have become the first woman in 26 years to win three consecutive AO titles but was defeated by the 19th seed in an agonising 6-3 2-6 7-5 loss. The incredible match had the packed crowd at Rod Laver Arena on the edge of their seats.

After the two players hugged and Keys ran over to celebrate her first Grand Slam win with her coach and husband, Bjorn Fratangelo, Sabalenka smashed her racquet and then sat on her player’s bench with a towel over her head, hiding her face.

Aryna Sabalenka smashes her racket after her defeat by Madison Keys in the women's singles final during day 14 of the 2025 Australian Open. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

As the crowd cheered loudly for Keys, the loss appeared too much for Sabalenka to handle.

She walked off the court with officials rushing behind her. The runner-up is expected to stay on court for the trophy presentation, where they will do a speech.

Sabalenka confessed she was frustrated because she was “so close to achieving something crazy” and threw the racquet to release some of that emotion.

“When you’re out there, you’re fighting, but it seems like everything’s not going the way you really want it to go,” she told a post-match press conference.

“I just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end just 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 covered her face from the crowd and cameras with a towel. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

She then walked off the court. Picture: Stan Sport

As for walking off the court before the presentation, Sabalenka defended the unexpected move as a way to get back in the right headspace to continue.

“I just needed that time for myself to kind of like switch off and forget and leave it in the past and be respectful,” she said.

“I was standing there and just was like, ‘OK, come on, you’ve been in her position. She deserves that. She was better player than you.’ Just, you know, it was tough.”

Sabalenka came back on court for the presentation, congratulating Keys in her speech.

As she stood with her runner-up dish, she joked about seeing the winner’s trophy again next year.

Winner Madison Keys and runner-up Aryna Sabalenka at the trophy presentation. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

While Sabalenka said at the point of finals “it’s trophy or nothing” for her, she also acknowledged what she had achieved in being there.

“Nobody remembers the finalist, you know? Nobody puts next to the winner the finalist name,” she said with a laugh.

“I go for titles. But, of course, I have to be anyway proud of myself with the finals, three finals in the row. That’s something crazy. I hope that next year I’ll come back as a better player, and I’ll hold Daphne one more time.”

Sabalenka’s name is already engraved on the Daphne Akhurst Memorial trophy twice after her 2023 and 2024 wins.

Originally published as Reason world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka stormed off, smashed racquet after Australian Open finals loss