Aussie Open champion’s awkward past with forgotten Barty humiliation

Aryna Sabalenka was big enough to forgive, forget and move on from a humiliating moment at the Australian Open with Ash Barty.

Retired former world number one Australian tennis player Ashleigh Barty carries the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP.

Aryna Sabalenka’s great Australian Open humiliation suddenly seemed a long time ago as she lifted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial trophy as the queen of Melbourne on Saturday night.

The first-time grand slam champion buried an army of mental demons in her thrilling win over Elena Rybakina — including one of the lowest points of her career where she faced Aussie Ash Barty on Rod Laver Arena.

Sabalenka, who will jump up to the No. 2 ranked player on the WTA Tour on Monday, was all smiles as she thanked the crowd in a classy victory speech following the win.

It was only a few years ago that the Australian Open crowd had openly mocked the 24-year-old.

Sabalenka was brutally heckled when playing Barty in her first ever grand slam appearance at the age of 19. The Rod Laver Arena crowd ridiculed Sabalenka with a chorus of grunts and moans swirling around the stadium, mimicking the loud noises Sabalenka was making as she hit her ground strokes.

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP.

The ugly moment needed the chair umpire to step in and speak to the crowd, causing a brief delay during one of Sabalenka’s service games. Barty, at the other end of the court, appeared to shake her head at the crowd’s antics.

Five years ago, Aryna Sabalenka played on the biggest stage of a Slam for the first time at the 2018 #AusOpen.

On that big moment she’d dreamed of, the crowd inside Rod Laver Arena cruelly mocked her.

Today, Sabalenka laughs last and hoists the trophy there. pic.twitter.com/vwxnMr2kci

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2023

The crowd’s treatment of Sabalenka remained mixed on Saturday night with some sections vocally supporting her, while earlier in the match there were sections of empty seats visible inside the stadium with the women’s final failing to sell out.

My 35th #AusOpen women’s final & the first for these two gals - ⁦@lenarybakina⁩ & ⁦@SabalenkaA⁩. Not a night for long rallies but hoping for a good one. #tennis. pic.twitter.com/CucWqxi9Kt

— Linda Pearce (@LindaCPearce) January 28, 2023

Disappointing that a few seats are empty in RLA tonight - it’s a Grand Slam final #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/kIGxVCp3nl

— Val Febbo (@VFebbo96) January 28, 2023

Quite a disappointing number of empty seats for this women’s final, which is certainly not a sellout.

Have to question the pricing. Cheapest tickets still available for tonight are just over £140.#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/RNnAZpHLRS

— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) January 28, 2023

The match between the Belarusian star, who is playing under a neutral flag following international condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, clearly put some fans in an awkward position — especially given Rybakina, who switched allegiance to Kazakhstan, was also born in Russia.

Sabalenka, however, was all class when she stepped up to the on-court microphone after the match.

“Thank you so much guys for such an amazing atmosphere,” she said.

“It was enjoyable to play in front of you. Thank you so much.”

She went on to say with a nervous giggle: “Again, thankyou soo much for an amazing atmosphere and I hope I can come back stronger next year and I’ll show you even better tennis and you guys will support me even more”.

Sabalenka also reflected on that ugly moment against Barty in 2018 where she was mercilessly booed.

Five years later she is yet to lose a match in 2023 and joked that Australia is now a happy hunting ground.

Barty was also on-hand to witness Sabalenka’s special moment after delivering the trophy onto the court at the start of the match.

Ashleigh Barty is as popular as ever. Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

“My first Australian Open was against Ashleigh on the Rod Laver stadium,” Sabalenka recalled.

“I remember after the match thinking, ‘Oh my god I think I will never get it’. That’s crazy.

“I think Australia loves me (laughs). The support this week, I think because everyone remembers last year and everyone wants me to be better. I felt the support and it really motivated me a lot.”

The triumph also comes less than 12 months after her serve spectacularly fell apart.

Sabalenka seemed on the verge of winning through to the US Open final last year before she suffered a severe case of the serving yips and was suddenly unable to land serves inside the court.

After losing all three of her previous grand slam semi-finals, Sabalenka’s demons are back in their cage.

Come back of the century for Sabalenka in one year to not be able to get serves in the court to now a major champ!!

— Pam Shriver (@PHShriver) January 28, 2023

Sabalenka just destroyed her entire Grand Slam demons (and gosh they were powerful) in one single match. Massive effort.

— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) January 28, 2023

Sabalenka hit 51 winners and won her seventh grand slam match in a row in which she drops the first set.

The emotional power-hitter earlier collapsed to the court in tears after winning match point.

She wiped away tears before getting a warm hug from Moscow-born Rybakina.