Aryna Sabalenka was left devastated after squandering a commanding 3-0 advantage in the final set of the Australian Open final earlier today.
Elena Rybakina staged a remarkable comeback, winning six of the remaining seven games to clinch victory 6-4 4-6 6-4 and secure her second Grand Slam crown.
It was a crushing blow for the two-time defending champion, who had been bidding for a historic third consecutive Melbourne title.
The Belarusian's heartbreak was plain to see as she sat courtside awaiting the trophy presentation, pulling a towel over her head to shield herself from the cameras.
Aryna Sabalenka put a towel over her head after suffering defeat in the Australian Open final
|REUTERS
Within an hour of leaving the court, Sabalenka found herself facing the media in what turned out to be quite an eventful press conference.
The world number one's emotions were all over the place, with the four-time Grand Slam winner bursting into laughter when asked to assess her performance.
But she admitted the reality was more complicated, revealing she had been "laughing and crying" in what she described as a "hysterical moment."
When asked about sitting down with her coaching team to analyse the defeat, Sabalenka let out a heavy sigh before turning to her agent and team member present in the room.
"When? Today? Oh, f*** you, no!" she joked.
"Today, I'm a loser, maybe tomorrow I'm a winner" 👀
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) January 31, 2026
Sabalenka comments on the Australian Open final 💪 pic.twitter.com/NQy9UytIQW
She was gracious in defeat, acknowledging her opponent's brilliance on the day.
"I mean, she played incredible match, and I try my very best. I was fighting until the very last point," Sabalenka said.
"I had my opportunities. It feels like I missed couple, but I mean, it's tennis. You know, today you're loser; tomorrow you're winner."
The 26-year-old was particularly frustrated with herself for failing to cope with Rybakina's attacking play when it mattered most.
"I played great until certain point, and then I couldn't resist that aggression that she had on court today," she explained.
Elena Rybakina staged a remarkable comeback to beat Aryna Sabalenka to her second Grand Slam title
|REUTERS
Despite the painful defeat, Sabalenka believes she has made significant strides mentally since suffering tough losses in Grand Slam finals at both the Australian Open and French Open last year.
"I feel like, yeah, overall it was much better than last year, two finals I lost," she reflected.
"Level-wise and decision that I was making and the way that the mentality was throughout the whole match that I was still there, I was ready to fight, I knew that she's not going to give it easily to me."
The top seed remains optimistic about her progress, adding: "I feel like I'm moving towards the right direction."