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Former world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been recovering from her intense US Open final defeat and subsequent on-court outburst during a holiday in Greece with fiancé Georgios Frangulis, sharing social media snapshots that feature a subtle nod to elite athletic psychology. The Belarusian star fell to a 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 defeat against rival Elena Rybakina in the women’s singles final at Flushing Meadows.
Reflecting on Pressure in Greece After Flushing Meadows Heartbreak
While recharging under the Greek sun, Sabalenka posted updates with the caption “rest & reset in Greece,” capturing scenes that included relaxing with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Ash. Among the images shared on social media, one photo showed the 28-year-old lying on a sun lounger in a red bikini while reading Jason Stacey’s The Pressure Code—a book that examines how elite performers align various competitive pressures to reach the top of their sport.
Sabalenka’s pursuit of a historic US Open title three-peat came to an abrupt halt against Rybakina, leaving her without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2022. The defeat also meant relinquishing the WTA No. 1 ranking to her Kazakh opponent, bringing to a close a dominant reign at the top of women’s tennis.
The US Open Final Fallout and Explaining the Outburst
The championship match carried heavy emotional friction. Immediately after Rybakina sealed the victory, Sabalenka lashed out by smashing her racket on the court. When broadcast cameras caught her reaction, she rolled her eyes, threw her arms out, and directed an angry remark at a nearby camera operator.
Addressing the viral incident after the match, Sabalenka explained that her actions stemmed from trying to process the sheer weight of disappointment. “It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for three-peat,” Sabalenka said. “So I just wanted to let it go, because if I would hold it inside, right now or here or there on the court, I wouldn’t be able to say a word or I would just go not really nice over there.”
What Comes Next for Sabalenka
With her Greek holiday providing a necessary mental and physical break, Sabalenka is turning her focus toward her upcoming return to the WTA Tour. Though the Flushing Meadows disappointment and the loss of her top ranking sting, her choice of reading material signals an active mental reset as she prepares to recalibrate her game for the final stretch of the tennis season.
