Aryna Sabalenka is expanding on her perspective following a tense moment Thursday in her women’s semifinals loss to Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon.
When meeting with reporters after the three-set loss, the world’s top female player was asked about a game in the third set, in which a forehand from the New Jersey native hit the top of the net to fall over, prompting Sabalenka to reply, “You don’t want to say sorry?” during a tense changeover.
“I just look at her and I just, for sure, she didn’t hear me, but I was just like, ‘You don’t want to say sorry?’ but she just wanted, I guess, badly to win this match. It’s on her,” said Sabalenka, who lost 4-6, 6-4, 4-6.
“If she doesn’t feel like saying sorry, like she barely got that point and she didn’t feel like saying, ‘Sorry for that tricky situation,’ that’s on her.”
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.