All articles tagged with #racket smash
Aryna Sabalenka was fined $7,500 for smashing a racket after losing the U.S. Open final to Elena Rybakina; the piece argues the criticism of her temper is overblown given the extreme pressure of Grand Slam finals, notes her history of emotional outbursts and apologies, and suggests that passion and frustration are part of elite sport rather than a character flaw.
Coco Gauff was eliminated in the Australian Open quarterfinals by Elina Svitolina, and footage of her private moment smashing a racket after the loss sparked a larger discussion about cameras and broadcast coverage of athletes’ emotions; Gauff defended the moment as a healthy emotional release while urging that such moments be treated more privately in the future.
Novak Djokovic has been fined approximately $8,000 for smashing his racket into the net post during his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. Despite the outburst, Djokovic continued to give his all against the 20-year-old Spaniard, who ultimately won the match. Alcaraz put up a strong fight throughout the match, winning the first set 6-1 and snapping Djokovic's streak of 15 consecutive tiebreak wins at Grand Slams. Djokovic had previously won the Australian Open and the French Open this year.