Tennis queen Aryna Sabalenka brings champagne to press conference after US Open victory

Tennis queen Aryna Sabalenka brings champagne to press conference after US Open win (Screengrabs)

The 27-year-old Belarusian laughed, cracked jokes, and reminded everyone that even champions can celebrate in style. After 15 tense minutes, Sabalenka sealed a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win, becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to defend the US Open crown. Catch Lovlina Borgohain’s inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5.

“I just let the doubt get into my head,” she said, before adding with a chuckle, “She broke me. “I think I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today,” she admitted. Watch: Her victory over American Amanda Anisimova was anything but straightforward. Just two points from the finish line, Sabalenka botched a routine smash, dumping it into the net. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! I was like, ‘OK… reset.’” Reset she did. For Sabalenka, it was her fourth Grand Slam title, all on hard courts, and redemption after falling short in Melbourne and Paris. She acknowledged those losses were crucial lessons: “After the French Open, I figured maybe it’s time to look at those finals and learn something. I didn’t want it to happen again. Anisimova, making her second Slam final after a painful Wimbledon loss, pushed hard and earned loud support from the New York crowd. She finished with more winners than Sabalenka but nearly double the errors. Sabalenka, meanwhile, handled the pressure with fresh composure and even fresher humour. By the time she appeared in her champagne-fueled press conference, she was more relaxed champion than rattled finalist, showing that lessons learned can end with laughter and trophies. Watch Here

She admitted the error let doubt creep in, recalling how nerves undid her in the Australian Open and French Open finals earlier this year. Aryna Sabalenka delivered both power and personality on Saturday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, securing her second consecutive US Open title before strolling into the press room with a bottle of champagne in hand and dark goggles perched on her head.