Aryna Sabalenka's frustration boils over at innocent ball kid during surprising Cincinnati defeat

Aryna Sabalenka again felt like the world was crumbling around her enroute to another devastating collapse, this time in the last-16 of the Cincinnati Open against Sara Bejlek. The World No.1's frustrations on court were visible especially in the first tiebreak when she got exasperated with a ball kid.

The Belarusian was the overwhelming favourite against Bejlek with the obvious caveat of her prior form coming back to bite her. This occurred and she was stunned after blowing a 4-1 lead in the second set to lose 7-6(7), 6-4.

That is now a third WTA 1000 event where she has failed to make the last-eight, previously coming off a run where she made that stage at the very minimum in nine consecutive participations. It is not only at this level. Woeful exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon leave her in a perilous position to be ousted as World No.1 with Elena Rybakina charging fast. She will head to Flushing Meadows as the defending champion, but wounded and very much out of form.

All these simmering frustrations were starting to show as she was reeled into a tense tiebreak battle at the end of the first set. She did have the break advantage earlier on but it was relinquished almost instantly. She then got fortunate when Bejlek missed a set point on her serve, forcing that tiebreak.

As Bejlek created what was the first of a string of set points, Sabalenka dropped her racket to the floor in a fit of disgust, but while that happened her dampener flew out, causing a hurried search to find it before the Czech had the chance to go for the set. She eventually got over the line with a third set point in the tiebreak, a fourth overall.

Sabalenka was furious with herself and the way the things were going. Not one for bottling emotions in, she started to get irritated by a ball boy. Right at the start of the second set, she faced two break points. She did not get the ball she was looking for and hit it with a bit of force away from the ball kid and into the crowd, forcing him to go and collect it from a spectator. She would get broken, but won the next four games to lead 4-1. Her 20-year-old opponent rallied in fine voice, coming back to win the next five games and confirm another hugely surprising loss for Sabalenka while breaking new ground in the process with her first ever WTA 1000 quarter-final.

Those Sunshine swing title triumphs feel like a long time ago. Sabalenka looked to be going up a gear compared to the rest of the WTA Tour. Following that Australian Open final defeat against Rybakina, she defeated her at both Indian Wells and Miami in the final and semi-final respectively to firmly put herself ahead of the rest.

Since then, she has not been anywhere near the level that people would have expected. In Cincinnati, it is the same part of the draw that has been giving her trouble. A third consecutive fourth round exit following Wimbledon and the Canadian Open. The return to hardcourt should have been a refresh for the four-time Grand Slam champion, but instead all this double header of WTA 1000 events have showed tennis fans is that she is still vulnerable.

Her World No.1 spot is up for grabs and most importantly out of her hands. It is set to be a huge upcoming week at the US Open. As the reigning champion, 2,000 points are on the line. She cannot afford another slip up. In turn, New York could be the perfect place for her to get back up to speed, winning a statement fifth Grand Slam and third consecutive one at the US Open to prove to the world that she is still a force to be reckoned with. The fourth and final Grand Slam of 2026 commences from August 30 - September 13.