Aryna Sabalenka is expanding on her perspective following a tense moment Thursday in her women’s semifinals loss to Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon.
After her three-set defeat, the top-ranked female player discussed a moment from the third set with reporters. During this tense exchange, a New Jersey native’s forehand clipped the top of the net and tumbled over, leading Sabalenka to comment, “You don’t want to say sorry?” during the changeover.
Sabalenka remarked, “I just looked at her, and even though she probably didn’t hear me, I thought, ‘You don’t want to say sorry?’ It seemed like she was really focused on winning the match. That’s her choice.” Sabalenka eventually lost with scores of 4-6, 6-4, 4-6.
“If she didn’t feel the need to apologize, even though she barely managed to score that point, and decided not to say, ‘Sorry for that tricky situation,’ then that’s her decision,” Sabalenka added.
At times, players may apologize to an opponent if a ball goes over the net on a lucky break by raising a hand.
The lack of an apology appeared to irritate Sabalenka, 27, who also took exception to what she viewed as a premature celebration from Anisimova, 23.
“I was just trying to chase the ball,” the Belarusian star said, according to The Tennis Letter. “She was already celebrating it. I was like ‘I mean, that’s a bit too early.’ She kind of pissed me off like saying, ‘That’s what she does all the time.’
“But I was grateful and thankful that she said that because I was like, it actually helped me to keep fighting. I was like OK, now I’m gonna show you the tennis. I came back because I got really angry in that moment. Probably in the third set I should’ve remembered and probably it would’ve helped. But it is what it is.”
Anisimova, who later clarified she wasn’t celebrating, is now set to face Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the ladies’ singles final on Saturday.
“This doesn’t feel real right now, honestly,” the American said post-match. “I was absolutely dying out there. I don’t know how I pulled it out.”
The daughter of Russian immigrants, Anisimova took a break from tennis in 2023 amid mental health concerns and was ranked No. 189 last year.
She reached the fourth round at the French Open earlier this summer, falling to Sabalenka in two sets.
Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, reached the final at Roland Garros before losing to American Coco Gauff.
