World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been fiery on and off the court during this year’s U.S. Open, with the latest episode coming after her straight-sets win over Polina Iatcenko on Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Belarusian got into a back-and-forth with a reporter, with Sabalenka at one point saying: “You guys are, like, a joke.”
It was the second tense moment Sabalenka has had with the media since the tournament began Sunday, and this time around, she did not hold back at the line of questioning, which she felt suggested she wasn’t focused in the lead-up to the U.S. Open.
“You guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun… like, why would you even say that?” Sabalenka fired back after she was asked about the mood now that the tournament had started. “Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?
“Just because I posted, like, some activities with brands, and you think that I’ve been partying, not training?”
When the reporter attempted to clarify their question, Sabalenka, 28, continued to fire back that it was implied she was partying and not trying in the week before the New York Grand Slam started.
Fan week, held the week prior to the official start of the tournament, is customarily filled with brand events and sponsorship obligations for some of the sport’s biggest stars who will appear in the event in Flushing Meadows.
“I’m saying that there are a lot of events and things like that. I’m not saying you go to the parties and that you’re…” the reporter said before Sabalenka cut them off and insisted, “You literally said that.”
“I’m saying that [Sabalenka] makes a lot of appearances and there’s a lot to do and lots of events,” the reporter attempted to clarify to the rest of the press room.
But Sabalenka appeared exhausted with the back-and-forth and asked to move on to another question.
“Think before you say stuff,” Sabalenka said before moving on to another question from the assembled media contingent.
Sabalenka had an earlier exchange with a reporter during her first post-match press conference this week when she was asked about how she maintains her energy for the event.
Sabalenka defeated Polina 6-1, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium and will face Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round of the U.S. Open.
