"Disrespectful as f**k" - Fans slam Aryna Sabalenka over 'primitive and stupid' act with team on Australian Open runner-up trophy

Several tennis fans tore into Aryna Sabalenka after cameras caught her engaging in a bizarre act with her team's behind-the-scenes following her loss to Madison Keys in the 2025 Australian Open women's singles final. The act controversially involved the runner-up trophy that was given to the Belarusian.

On Saturday, January 25, World No. 1 Sabalenka was stunned by Keys in Melbourne Park's iconic Rod Laver Arena. The Belarusian, who was gunning for the Australian Open title for the third consecutive year, lost 3-6, 6-2, 5-7 to the 19th seeded American.

Later, cameras captured her in an interior area of Rod Laver Arena. With the runner-up trophy on the floor, Aryna Sabalenka, her boyfriend Geogios Frangulis, and physical trainer Jason Stacy performed pelvic thrusts in the direction of the trophy with smiles on their faces. The moment soon gained traction on X (formerly Twitter) as fans perceived it as the three-time Major winner and the others mock-urinating on the runner-up trophy.

Unsurprisingly, this perception sparked outrage from many fans, who were quick to call out the Belarusian and her team.

"First of all, it's not funny at all and secondly, its disrespectful as f**k," a fan wrote.

"And they all think they're funny? No, they are normally primitive and stupid," another added.

"I get that everyone has their own ways of processing a tough loss, but this looks unbecoming, to be honest. You would expect drunken louts on a street corner to behave like this," another fan chimed in.

Here are some more reactions from fans calling out Sabalenka's controversial act alongside her boyfriend and physical trainer:

"Wow… so disrespectful…," stated one fan.

"A weird lot," commented another.

"This is so disgusting," weighed in yet another fan.

"Iga's heart broke after AO and she was ridiculed for crying, and that disgusting warmonger wants to pee on the runner-up trophy with her whole team and she's getting praises... This starts to be Polonophobia from the fans around the world. Iga is simply getting assaulted," an Iga Swiatek fan wrote.

In her post-match speech following her loss to Keys, Sabalenka hilariously blamed her team for her defeat.

Aryna Sabalenka took humorous swipe at team over Australian Open final heartbreak

Aryna Sabalenka during the 2025 Australian Open women's singles runner-up speech (Source: Getty)

Laying the blame on her team for her losses has become something of a fun ritual for Aryna Sabalenka, and she did it again following her defeat to Madison Keys in the 2025 Australian Open women's singles final. During her runner-up speech, Sabalenka looked at her team and said:

"Should I say anything to my team? Why are you laughing? As always, that's your fault, guys. No. I, I don't want to see you for the next week. I really hate you," Sabalenka said hilariously.

Despite her loss in the final of the year's first Major, Sabalenka has managed to retain her World No. 1 ranking courtesy the respective results in the tournament's semifinals.