Aryna Sabalenka‘s farewell at the Miami Masters 1000 has raised controversy. The Belarussian lost in the third round against the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, number 36 of the ranking, by 6-4, 1-6 and 6-1 in two hours and three minutes. It was a tense match that ended with emotions running high, after Sabalenka broke her racquet and without a handshake between both players after finishing the match, something that has been seen repeatedly in the circuit from Ukrainian players towards Russian and Belarusian players.
Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, thus ends a very complicated week for her for personal reasons, after her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov was found dead in a Miami hotel last Tuesday, March 19.
Sabalenka smashes racquet after losing to Anhelina Kalinina in a tough week
The world number two, who defined this death as “an unthinkable tragedy” in a message on her social networks last Wednesday, decided to compete in the Miami Open and made her debut with a victory over her friend Paula Badosa. An emotional match that ended with a hug between both players.
A fiery ending
The match went into the third set, where nerves eventually took their toll on the Belarussian. She lost it 6-1, winning the only game with Kalinina on serve, and repeatedly hit her racket to the ground on the way to the bench.
The two players did not shake or exchange glances at the end of the match, an act that has been occurring in the women’s circuit since the beginning of the war
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