World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka engaged in a tense exchange with a reporter following her second-round victory at the U.S. Open on Wednesday night. Sabalenka criticized the line of questioning, which she felt implied she was not focused on training due to pre-tournament activities.
"You guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun… like, why would you even say that?" Sabalenka stated during the press conference after defeating Polina Iatcenko in straight sets. She was responding to a question about her mood now that the tournament had begun, referencing her activities from the previous week.
Sabalenka, 28, pushed back against the reporter's implication that posting about brand events meant she was partying instead of training. The reporter attempted to clarify that the question was about her making many appearances and having many obligations during the week prior to the Grand Slam event in Flushing Meadows.
"I'm saying that there are a lot of events and things like that. I'm not saying you go to the parties and that you're…" the reporter began before Sabalenka interrupted, asserting, "You literally said that."
The exchange marked the second instance of Sabalenka having a difficult interaction with the media since the tournament commenced. Earlier in the week, she had a notable exchange with a reporter concerning how she maintains her energy for the event.
Following the exchange, Sabalenka, appearing fatigued by the back-and-forth, asked to move on to another question. "Think before you say stuff," she advised the reporter before proceeding with other inquiries from the media.
Sabalenka secured a 6-1, 6-1 win over Iatcenko on Arthur Ashe Stadium. She is scheduled to face Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round of the U.S. Open.