Paul McNamee slams ESPN for airing old Aryna Sabalenka footage

Former doubles world number one Paul McNamee has lambasted ESPN for showing an old footage of Belarus’ tennis star Aryna Sabalenka after her recent triumph at the US Open. The 26-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players currently playing in women’s tennis in the singles category along with Poland’s Iga Swiatek.

Sabalenka recently participated in the US Open, where she won the title after beating America’s Jessica Pegula in the final in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 7-5. After the match, American broadcaster ESPN showed the footage of the Minsk-born star after the 2023 final of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year, where she went back to the locker room and took her anger out on her racket after losing to America’s Coco Gauff.

Showing that footage did not go down well with the former doubles world number one McNamee, who, in a post on his official account on the social media platform X — previously known as Twitter — lambasted ESPN for showing that. “Not impressed by ESPN showing Sabalenka smashing her racquet in the gym after last year’s loss in the final… unnecessary, insensitive and as for timing? … yikes,” he wrote.

For Sabalenka, the victory was a special one as it was her third Grand Slam title in her career and the first-ever in New York. Before that, she won the Australian Open on two occasions. Talking after the match, Sabalenka stated that she was ‘speechless’ and also claimed that the triumph is a very ‘special’ one for her. "I'm speechless,” she said. “I remember all the tough losses here. They say you're going to see the reason later. I see the reason right now. That's why it's very special, because no matter what, every time I was coming back stronger and I was learning. I never gave up on this dream.