Sabalenka Smashes Racket After Falling To Anhelina Kalinina

There has been criticism over farewell of Aryna Sabalenka at the Miami Masters 1000. In a match lasting two hours and three minutes, the Belarussian was defeated 6-4, 1-6, and 6-1 by the 36th-ranked Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina in the third round.

There was no handshake after the match, which has been a recurring theme on the tour between Ukrainian players and Russian and Belarusian players. It was an intense match that finished with emotions running high when Sabalenka shattered her racquet.

With her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov discovered dead in a Miami hotel on Tuesday, March 19, Sabalenka, the winner of the Australian Open, so closes a very trying week for her due to personal reasons.

The world No. 2 opted to compete in the Miami Open and made her debut by defeating her friend Paula Badosa. In a message posted on her social media last Wednesday, the world No. 2 called this death “an unthinkable tragedy”. An emotional game that concluded with both players hugging each other.

Also read: Aryna Sabalenka Will Compete Against Friend, Paula Badosa

An explosive conclusion

When the third set of the match arrived, the Belarussian’s nerves finally gave out. On her way to the bench, she kept hitting her racket to the ground as she lost it 6-1, winning the lone game against Kalinina on serve.

As has been customary in the women’s circuit since the start of the war, the two players did not shake hands or look at each other after the match.

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