Aryna Sabalenka, 24, has been the runner-up of the Stuttgart Open for the past three years.
In 2021, she lost to Ashleigh Barty, and in 2022 and 2023, she lost to Iga Swiatek, 21.
BACK-TO-BACK IN STUTTGART ๐๐๐
World No.1 @iga_swiatek defends her #PorscheTennis title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Sabalenka, clinching a 13th trophy on the Hologic WTA Tour! pic.twitter.com/elTvJdvB2h
— wta (@WTA) April 23, 2023
One of the perks of winning the Stuttgart Open is that the champion gets a brand-new Porsche.
Sabalenka’s reaction to the loss of yet another Porsche has received mixed reviews in the tennis community.
What Sabalenka Did
Sabalenka was holding her trophy as she walked by the Porsche.
She twisted her trophy presumably to pretend it was a baseball bat and pretended to swing it at one of the windows of the vehicle.
Funny or not? #ลwiฤ tek #Sabalenka pic.twitter.com/MhGMHY02ms
— Emigrant ๐ต๐ฑโค๏ธ๐ฌ๐ง ๐๐ฐ (@gruczykowski) April 23, 2023
She knew it would be caught on camera and had a half-smile on her face as she did it.
Sabalenka wanted a car and joked with the tournament organizers during her speech about giving out an extra car next year if she makes the finals.
Aryna Sabalenka after losing Stuttgart Final to Iga Swiatek:
"Can we make a deal if I make another final, I just get an extra car?" ๐ pic.twitter.com/VSIl33vXDB
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 23, 2023
The Background
There is underlying tension between Swiatek and Sabalenka because of Swiatek’s strong stance on the Ukrainian War.
Swiatek is Polish and has not stopped talking about the plight of the Ukrainians since the war began.
She also questions whether Russian and Belarusian players should be allowed to compete because of the war.
Sabalenka is Belarusian and recently reflected on not being liked because of the ongoing war.
Sabalenka: "I feel a lot of weird looking at me and, probably, hate from some of the people… Itโs not the best feeling to be hated from people for basically nothing, but it is how it is… If I could stop the war, I would do that, but unfortunately itโs not under my control". pic.twitter.com/5q7WhzSKFx
— Relevant Tennis (@RelevantTennis) April 19, 2023
An Icy Handshake
Following the match, the players’ handshake at the net was a good indicator that their off-the-court relationship is not on the best of terms.
Back-to-back Stuttgart champ ๐๐@iga_swiatek puts on a statement performance in the final to defeat Sabalenka 6-3 6-4!#PorscheTennis pic.twitter.com/wjl7ZjUshE
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 23, 2023
Their icy behavior with each other is a stark contrast to how Swiatek interacted with Ons Jabeur who had to retire in the semifinals due to an injury and Sabalenka’s easy-going demeanor with Spaniard Paula Badosa.
Iga Swiatek advances to the final after Ons Jabeur retires due to injury.
Final score: 3-0.#PorscheTennis pic.twitter.com/teI5gfRCeU
— wta (@WTA) April 22, 2023
Defeat against Aryna : pic.twitter.com/LB2DVOpn3q
— Out of Context Paula Badosa (@OOCPaulaBadosa) April 21, 2023
Professionalism is all that we can expect, and these two players are the best in the world right now so they will presumably meet in a lot of big matches.
So that brings us back to the question of whether Sabalenka’s behavior with the trophy and the car was considered professional.
Some found it funny, and others thought it was inappropriate.
It is subject to individual interpretation.
Tennis Betting Guides 2024
- Tennis Betting Guide – Discover Best Tennis Betting Sites in USA Ranked & Reviewed.
- The Latest Tennis Odds – Compare the Best Tennis Betting Odds.
- Free Tennis Picks – Check Expert Tennis Betting Picks & Predictions.
- Best Offshore Betting Sites – Compare Top Offshore Online Betting Sites.
- Best Bitcoin Betting Sites – Top-rated Bitcoin Sportsbooks in USA Ranked & Reviewed.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
