ARYNA SABALENKA smashed her racket following her emotional Miami Open exit.
The world No2, 25, bravely played in the tournament despite the death of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov just days ago.
APAryna Sabalenka crashed out of the Miami Open[/caption]
APThe Belarussian let out her frustration on the court[/caption]
Instagram / @sabalenka_arynaShe played in the tournament despite the death of her ex-boyfriend last week[/caption]
Koltsov died in Miami last week in an “apparent suicide” after the ice hockey star jumped from a hotel balcony.
Sabalenka beat close friend Paula Badosa in her opening match – round two after she received a bye – before taking on Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina.
However, the Belarussian was defeated 6-4 1-6 6-1 against the No32 seed.
Sabalenka was visibly frustrated during the match and was given a code violation for thrashing a tennis ball away – before allegedly saying in Russian: “Go f*** yourself, damn.”
Then when she went wide while match point down, the two-time Australian Open champ whacked her racket into the court three times, obliterating the frame.
There was no handshake between the two players as has been customary between Ukrainian stars and Russian or Belarussian players since the outbreak of the war.
Sabalenka, who wore all black for her matches in Miami, is expected to take three weeks off before starting her clay-court swing in Stuttgart.
She did not speak to the media throughout the tournament as she grieves her former partner’s shocking death.
Instead, she wrote on social media: “Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy.
“While we were no longer together, my heart is broken.”
Elsewhere at the Miami Open, Tommy Paul was forced to retire in distressing scenes after rolling his ankle badly.
Arthur Cazaux and Matteo Berrettini both struggled in the heat – the former fainting on court in the heat before the latter almost collapsed while serving against Andy Murray.
Emma Raducanu did not play in the tournament, though, as she continues her comeback from injury.
The Brit complained about the various different tennis balls used on the WTA Tour for contributing to her physical woes in recent years.
Sabalenka smashed her racket after losing match pointX
She wore all black for the tournament in FloridaX
Sabalenka and Konstantin Koltsov had separated by the time of his deathInstagram / @sabalenka_aryna
AFPThe ice hockey star’s death was judged to have been an ‘apparent suicide’[/caption]“}]]