Sabalenka explains post-final outburst in loss to Madison Keys, praises new champion

Aryna Sabalenka says her outburst and exit from Rod Laver Arena after a dummy spit was needed to cool down after losing her chance at three titles in a row.

Aryna Sabalenka has explained what was behind her post-match dummy spit on Rod Laver Arena after losing to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final on Saturday night.

She said “a bit of frustration” came out when she smashed a racquet and covered her head with a towel before leaving the court for a few minutes.

“I was so close to achieve something crazy. When you’re out there, you’re fighting, but it seems like everything going not the way you really want to go.

Aryna Sabalenka throws her smashed racket after losing in the Australina Open final. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

“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, be respectful (laughter).”

“It’s okay.

“I was so close to achieving something crazy (three Australian Open titles in a row) and you know when you’re out there but it seems everything is going not the way you want to, I needed to throw the negative emotions (away) at the end to give a speech and not stand there being disrespectful so I just tried to let it go and be respectful,” she said.

Sabalenka said she needed to take the moment to leave the court, which is not common from losers at the Australian Open.

“That was tough. I just needed to kind of, like, needed that time for myself to kind of like switch off and forget and leave it in the best and be respectful, not be - I don’t know.

“I just needed to throw those stuff out and needed some time with myself.

“It was definitely really tough, I was standing there and just was like, ‘Okay, c’mon, you’ve been in her position. She deserves that. She was better player than you’.”

Asked if she could still be satisfied by making a Grand Slam final, Sabalenka said that was not her mindset.

“I think when you get to the point of finals, it’s trophy or nothing,” she said.

“Nobody remembers the finalist, you know?

Madison Keys is embraced by Aryna Sabalenka after winning in the Women's Singles Final. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

“At this point … I go for titles. But, of course, I have to be proud of myself with … 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 (the trophy) one more time.”

The 26-year-old said her slow start let her down and she struggled to put pressure on an aggressive Keys.

“I was on the back foot all the time,” Sabalenka said.

“I didn’t serve my best at all. Tactically I’d say I didn’t play my best, as well, at the beginning of the match. If I could change anything, I would try to start a little bit better with the movement. Maybe be a little bit more aggressive and not try to just play too passive.”

It was the second time that Sabalenka has lost a Grand Slam final, following a US Open loss to Coco Guaff in 2023.

Sabalenka heaped praise on Keys, comparing her match tonight to the likes of Serena Williams.

“She played super aggressive, I was trying to put the ball back and I didn’t get my serve that well,” she said.

“Today was very fast, very deep, very aggressive, if she can continue playing the way she was playing today she can be a top five (player).

“If she can play consistently like that there’s not much you can do. I know how to play against her but in this match I couldn’t do my stuff, she played incredible.”

Sabalenka said for her, the match didn’t start until the second set which put her too far behind the Eight ball.

“My length was off at the beginning of the match, I didn’t serve much at all and didn’t play my best I would try to start a little bit better with the movement and be a bit more aggressive and try not to play too passive,” she said.

Re-live all the build-up and key talking points here.

Originally published as Sabalenka explains post-final outburst in loss to Madison Keys, praises new champion