“Wow… so disrespectful”: Fans criticise Aryna Sabalenka’s team after controversial backroom video on social media following Australian Open final defeat

Aryna Sabalenka and her team have faced significant backlash on social media for their behavior after her runner-up finish in the 2025 Australian Open final. The world number one lost to Madison Keys in a hard-fought match, with a scoreline of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, marking her first defeat in Melbourne after winning back-to-back titles in the previous two years.

The controversy erupted when a post on X (formerly Twitter) showed Sabalenka’s team placing the runner-up trophy on the floor in the backroom and joking about peeing on it. This behavior was widely criticized by fans, who deemed it disrespectful. One fan commented, “Wow… so disrespectful,” while others echoed similar sentiments, calling the gestures inappropriate even if intended as a joke.

Following the match, Sabalenka expressed disappointment over her defeat, stating that she does not take pride in being a runner-up and that her primary focus is winning titles. She acknowledged that while reaching three consecutive finals in Melbourne is a significant achievement, her ultimate goal remains lifting the trophy.

“I think when you get to the point of finals, it’s trophy or nothing,” Sabalenka said. “Nobody remembers the finalist, you know? Nobody puts, like, next to the winner the finalist name. At this point, yeah, I go for titles. Of course, I have to be proud of myself for reaching three finals in a row—that’s something crazy. I hope that next year I’ll come back as a better player, and I’ll hold Daphne (the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup) one more time.”

Sabalenka’s comments and her team’s actions have sparked a broader conversation about sportsmanship and respect for the achievements of all competitors, regardless of the outcome. Despite the incident, Sabalenka remains determined to return stronger in future competitions.