Why Aryna Sabalenka deserves absolutely no criticism for her reaction to losing the US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka is an honest, emotional individual and has earned plenty of fans because of her raw reactions throughout her career.

Whether it be her roaring on court to try and get herself in gear, or tears that flow after a heavy loss, these all work towards making this supreme athlete and ultimate competitor feel a little bit more human in the eyes of us mere mortals.

However, not everyone is of that same mind.

Those same emotions that endear her to some grate on others, with her post-match reaction to losing last night’s US Open final a prime example of how polarising Aryna Sabalenka can be.

On this occasion, I think her reaction was wholly justified.

There was a string of flashpoints immediately following the match that have provoked quite a strong reaction from the masses.

The first came after shaking hands with Elena Rybakina, as Sabalenka swiftly returned to her bench and destroyed a racket.

Then, as she waited for the trophy presentation, a camera closed in on her. Her stern expression should have been enough of a warning, but as it drew nearer, she waved it away with expletives.

And finally, when called up on stage, she fought back tears whilst rushing through her runners-up speech in double quick time.

These were not unjustified actions, and it’s ridiculous to expect anything else from someone who has endured such an emotional week.

The Kazakhstan superstar took everything from Sabalenka during this US Open run, and her emotional reaction was valid.

After all, just days ago, Rybakina became the new world number one, breaking a streak of 99 straight days for the 28-year-old.

And now, just days later, she has dethroned the Belarusian in New York, stopping her from winning a third straight title here.

This week has been a build-up of so many things, and the fact that she was so powerless in the final to really trouble Rybakina must have been the final straw.

These tennis players are not robots, and cannot be expected to bottle their emotions when so much is on the line.

Sabalenka is only human, and her raw, unfiltered reaction to such events is what makes her so endearing. She is great for the sport, both in victory and defeat.