Featured Image Credit: Wimbledon
Topics: Tennis, Fan Reactions
Nasir Jabbar
Tennis fans have slammed Aryna Sabalenka after she was involved in a fiery incident during her Wimbledon semi-final defeat to Amanda Anisimova on Thursday.
American Anisimova beat top seed Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach Saturday's women's final.
Anisimova, the 13th seed, delivered a remarkable display as she saved 11 of the 14 break points she faced to secure her spot in a maiden Grand Slam final, converting her fourth match point of a thrilling contest that lasted two hours and 35 minutes.
But the centre court showdown wasn't without controversy.
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Anisimova celebrated a winner in the second set before the ball had gone past her opponent and refused to apologise after winning a crucial point in the decider that clipped the net and dropped over.
Typically, players would hold a hand up in apology, but the 23-year-old instead celebrated the point to the anger of Sabalenka, who asked her why she didn't apologise.
Speaking after the match, Sabalenka was asked about the incident and she didn't hold back.
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"I just looked at her and, for sure, she didn't hear me," she said in her press conference. "I was like 'You don't want to say sorry?'
"She just wanted, I guess, badly to win this match.
"It's on her. If she doesn't feel like saying sorry, like she barely got that point and she didn't feel like saying sorry for that tricky situation, that's on her."
The Belarusian added: "I was just trying to chase the ball and, yeah, she was already celebrating it. I was, like, I mean, that's a bit too early. Then she kind of p**sed me off saying that, oh, that's what she does all the time.
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"I was grateful she actually said that because it actually helped me to keep fighting. I'm like, okay, now I'm going to show you the tennis. So I came back because I got really angry in that moment.
"So probably in the third set I should have remembered and it probably will help!"
Tennis fans on social media, however, criticised the way Sabalenka reacted during her clash against Anisimova.
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One X user wrote: "At what point does the tennis community call out Sabalenka for her behaviour? Here she is bullying Anisimova for not saying sorry for a net cord point. Let’s not forget her rudeness to Coco Gauff."
A second said: "But what is there to say sorry? I don't get it. It’s a game. The ball came as per the rule and you should play it as per the rule."
A third argued: "Sabalenka is a competitor.. nothing more nothing less. Emotions run high so no reason to make this bigger than what it is."
Sabalenka's wait for her first Wimbledon championship goes on as Anisimova looks to win her first Grand Slam title of her career.