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.