World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has expressed her commitment to being a positive role model for young tennis players following an incident at the Wuhan Open, where she narrowly avoided striking a ball kid with her racket during a semifinal loss to Jessica Pegula. The Belarusian star, speaking at an event in Hong Kong, acknowledged her occasional missteps but emphasized her desire to inspire the next generation.
“Tennis became much more meaningful to me after losing my father,” Sabalenka told AFP. “I want to see how far I can go and motivate young players.” She added, “I try to be a good example, but sometimes I’m an example of what not to do. Still, I’m working to inspire the next generation.”
The incident occurred during Sabalenka’s semifinal match against Pegula on Saturday. Leading 5-2 in the final set, Sabalenka faltered as Pegula mounted a comeback to take a 6-5 lead. Frustrated after losing her serve in the 11th game, Sabalenka threw her racket toward the side of the court. The racket hit a bench and bounced back toward the net, narrowly missing a ball kid nearby. The chair umpire issued a warning for racket abuse, but no further penalties were imposed. Sabalenka’s team did not respond to The Athletic’s request for comment on the matter.
Despite forcing a tiebreak by winning the next game, Sabalenka fell to Pegula 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(2). The defeat ended her 19-match tiebreak winning streak and her 20-match unbeaten run at the Wuhan Open. Pegula advanced to the final but was defeated by Coco Gauff, 6-4, 7-5.
Sabalenka’s behavior has drawn scrutiny before, notably after her French Open final loss to Gauff earlier this year. In post-match comments, Sabalenka attributed her defeat to her own errors and windy conditions, downplaying Gauff’s performance. “She won because I made mistakes, not because she played incredibly,” Sabalenka said, also describing her own play as “terrible tennis” during the on-court interview.
Despite these challenges, Sabalenka remains focused on her growth in the sport and her role as an influence for aspiring players.
