Aryna Sabalenka spoke with the umpire after her recent win at the 2024 Indian Wells Open, and she explained why after the match.
The Belarusian made another step closer to adding yet another WTA 1000 trophy to her trophy cabinet, which is taken care of by her mother, by beating Emma Raducanu in straight sets at the 2024 Indian Wells Open.
However, the match wasn't a smooth sailing for Sabalenka, as the British player showed why she won the US Open three years ago. At one moment, the world no. 2 voiced her frustration by using expletive language, what the umpire Cecilia Alberti noticed and gave her a warning for it.
Sabalenka is a very straightforward person, and she's not afraid to talk to people, and that's why she has decided to playfully approach the umpire after they shook hands after the match, probably joking around about the warning given to her earlier in the match.
She was asked about the moment during her post-match press conference, explaining that she explained the situation to the umpire, claiming that the warning was not necessary, while clearly finding the funny side of the situation.
"After the match? I just told her, like, Come on, you could just avoid that warning. It wasn't that bad. There was, like, one specific word, but it wasn't, like, I didn't forward it to her. I was just like, you're pissed, and you're just: F**k this s**t. I was just, like, Come on. You could have, like, ignored that. (Laughter.)"
Shortly after repeating the very same words for which she received warning on the court also in the press conference room, Sabalenka realized what she did, finding the funny side of the situation.
The Belarusian was told she should vent the frustration in her mother tongue in her own language instead, to which she reacted by saying that she is happy to take the role of "being stupid" once again showing her playful nature.
"No, I don't want to say that. Oh, my God. I mean, someone has to be stupid. I take this role. I'm a Barbie. (Laughter.)"
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