Why Aryna Sabalenka has sparked controversy with Jelena Ostapenko handshake after heartbreaking Stuttgart loss

Aryna Sabalenka once again fell short of clinching the coveted Porsche awarded to the winner of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, as she lost to Jelena Ostapenko in the final on Monday (April 21). Notably, this marks the fourth time she has missed out on the title—and the car.

Sabalenka had a strong start to the season with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open in January, but her form dipped shortly after. However, she bounced back impressively, reaching the final at Indian Wells and clinching the title in Madrid before heading to Stuttgart.

The Belarusian began her Stuttgart campaign with a walkover win against Anastasia Potapova, followed by solid victories over Elise Mertens and Jasmine Paolini to reach the final. However, she couldn't bring her A-game against Ostapenko, who dominated the match from start to finish to seal a 6-4, 6-1 victory.

But fans weren’t entirely pleased with Aryna Sabalenka’s post-match conduct, particularly her handshake with Jelena Ostapenko at the net. Many took to social media to express their disappointment for what they perceived as unsportsmanlike behavior.

One X user wrote:

"Disrespectful for Sabalenka to react this way to Ostapenko."

"Sabs said something disrespectful you can tell how the smile left Jelena’s face," another speculated.

"The Australian Open final loss to Keys should've taught people how poor her sportsmanship is," another added.

One account posted:

"She always acts like a b*tch when she loses a match."

"Graceless loser, like Swiatek yesterday," another wrote.

One fan tweeted:

"Disrespectful from a very unbearably noisy woman. Hope Penko keeps beating these ladies."