Watch: Aryna Sabalenka throws her smashed racket into trash can following US Open final defeat to Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka suffered a heartbreaking defeat to crowd favorite Coco Gauff in the final of the 2023 US Open on Saturday. After the trophy ceremony, Sabalenka vented her frustration in the women's locker room by smashing her racket and dumping it into a trash can.

Sabalenka was quick to get off the blocks against her younger opponent, winning the first set 6-2. However, the ocassion soon got to the second seed, and she began making several unforced errors. The Belarusian was also seemingly affected by the New York crowd, who were unequivocal in their support for Gauff.

Sabalenka wasted multiple break points on the American's serve in the second set, before losing it 3-6. The deciding set followed a similar script and she eventually succumbed to a 6-2, 3-6, 2-6 defeat in just over two hours.

Sabalenka was visibly frustrated at how the championship match ended, if the locker room footage that surfaced on social media soon after is anything to go by. In the video, the Belarusian can be seen walking into the locker room before setting her racket kit on the ground.

She then takes out her Wilson racket and proceeds to smash it on the floor. After this, she walks over to a trash can in the corner of the room and dumps the racket there without a thought.

Aryna Sabalenka all set to be crowned the new World No. 1 in the WTA rankings on Monday

Aryna Sabalenka poses with the 2023 Australian Open title

While Aryna Sabalenka was disappointed at losing the US Open final to Coco Gauff, she has still put together a phenomenal season in 2023.

The 25-year-old has a 50-11 win-loss record so far this year, the highlights of which are her title-winning runs at the Australian Open and the WTA 1000 events at Indian Wells and Madrid. Notably, she also reached the semifinals of all four Majors in the year.

The Belarusian is all set to rise to a new career-high ranking of No. 1 in the world when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday (September 11). She will stand tall at the apex of women's tennis with a tally of 9,266 points, which puts her more than a thousand points clear of Iga Swiatek — who was ranked at the top leading into this year's US Open.