Aryna Sabalenka lost to Iga Swiatek for the second straight tournament, but tennis fans will fondly remember her humor despite the defeat.
Sabalenka attempted to avenge her loss to Swiatek after losing to the Pole in the Madrid Open final just two weeks ago. In a battle between the world's top two, the match did not meet pre-match expectations, nor was it equivalent to their showdown in Madrid from a spectacle standpoint.
Swiatek scooped her third Italian Open title on Saturday, needing just one and a half hours to complete a 6-2, 6-3 rout. It was her eighth win in 11 matches against the Belarusian powerhouse.
It also cemented the World No. 1's superiority over the rest of the women's tour ahead of Roland Garros. The victory also ensured Swiatek's place in history books. She became the third woman to win the Madrid-Rome doubles since the WTA 1000 category was incepted in 2009.
But the other major flashpoint was Sabalenka quickly erasing the disappointment of losing another final. The World No. 2 won the day for her gracious showing of sportsmanship and light-heartedness during and after the match.
One moment that encapsulated this was when she joked that her coaching team had prepared her to lose the match. Another more humorous moment was in the early stages of the match when Sabalenka engaged in a hilarious on-court exchange with chair umpire Marija Cicak.
During a changeover, Sabalenka felt that the experienced Croatian official was very strict with timekeeping, and the dialogue can be seen in the video below. Cicak could only smile and said, "Always."
"I wasn't ready for the return. I was checking my strings they were like off. What’s your mood today? You’re like so strict with the time… come on…"
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