Aryna Sabalenka delivered a sharp response to a journalist during her US Open press conference after taking exception to a question about the events and brand appearances she attended before the tournament began.
The world No. 1 had just completed a ruthless 6-1, 6-1 victory over Polina Iatcenko in the second round on Wednesday when Matthew Futterman, a sportswriter associated with The Athletic, asked about her mindset now that the Grand Slam was underway.
Futterman’s question quickly became the focus of the press conference.
Sabalenka Challenges the Suggestion She Had Been Partying
Futterman asked Sabalenka how she was finding her mood now that the competition had started, referring to the previous week as a period filled with “parties and fun and stuff like that.”
The description immediately irritated the two-time defending US Open champion.
Sabalenka questioned why the journalist had characterized her activities that way, pointing out that she had been sharing appearances and promotional commitments with sponsors on social media.
“You guys are like a joke,” Sabalenka said, challenging the premise of the question.
She then questioned why anyone would assume that attending events meant she had been partying or neglecting her preparations for the tournament.
Reporter Attempts to Clarify His Question
Futterman quickly tried to explain that he had not intended to suggest Sabalenka was spending her time partying rather than preparing for the tournament.
“I’m saying there are a lot of events and things like that,” he clarified.
Sabalenka, however, maintained that his original wording had created precisely that impression.
“You literally said that,” she replied.
The exchange continued as Futterman attempted to make his position clear to the other reporters in the room.
He explained that he was not claiming Sabalenka was enjoying herself at parties or that her preparation had been affected, but rather that she had made several public appearances during her time in New York.
Sabalenka offered a brief “OK” in response.
A Second Question Produces Another Cutting Reply
Futterman then changed direction and asked whether Sabalenka felt she had become more serious and combative now that the tournament itself had begun.
Her answer was pointed.
“Oh yeah, I wasn’t serious before that,” Sabalenka said before telling him to move on to the next question.
The world No. 1 then delivered what appeared to be a final warning over the exchange.
“Think before you say stuff,” she told the reporter.
The Daily Mail has sought further comment from Futterman regarding the confrontation.
Sabalenka’s New York Appearances Draw Attention
The tense exchange came during an otherwise highly successful day for Sabalenka, who continued her title defence in commanding fashion at Flushing Meadows.
Her activities away from the court have attracted considerable attention during the tournament, particularly because of her fashion choices and promotional commitments.
Sabalenka has attended several events since arriving in New York and has also been photographed around the city with her fiancé, Georgios Frangulis.
The 28-year-old Belarusian is known for embracing fashion and frequently wears distinctive outfits both during tournaments and away from competition.
Nike Outfits Become Another Talking Point
Her clothing choices have also generated plenty of discussion at this year’s US Open.
During the mixed doubles competition, Sabalenka appeared in a black basketball-inspired outfit featuring an electric orange sports bra and matching briefs.
The bold design quickly attracted criticism from some tennis fans online.
She later appeared in a similar design during her opening singles match against Camila Osorio on Monday, wearing the outfit predominantly in bright orange as she secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
For her second-round meeting with Iatcenko on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sabalenka switched back to black, including a black sports bra and matching briefs beneath the outfit.
Sabalenka Explains the Day and Night Designs
Sabalenka previously explained that the different versions of her outfit were not simply a personal styling decision.
According to the reigning champion, Nike had produced separate day and night versions of the design for her tournament wardrobe.
She said she initially believed she had been given a black dress with orange details underneath, only discovering later that Nike had created different versions for daytime and evening sessions.
The distinctive outfits have nevertheless remained a talking point throughout her opening matches.
Champion Refuses to Back Down Over Fashion Choices
Sabalenka has shown little interest in allowing criticism of her clothing to dictate what she wears on court.
When questioned about the reaction to her mixed doubles outfit during the tournament’s media day, she made it clear that she was comfortable with her appearance.
“Who cares what people think?” she said, adding that she loved the outfit.
Her response to Futterman’s question on Wednesday reflected the same willingness to push back when she believes assumptions are being made about her.
Sabalenka Turns Her Attention Back to the Court
Despite the off-court controversy, Sabalenka’s performances have remained the strongest part of her US Open campaign so far.
After dispatching Iatcenko with little difficulty, she now moves into the third round with her bid for another championship firmly underway.
Sabalenka will face Kamilla Rakhimova in the next round on Friday as she continues her pursuit of a third consecutive US Open singles title.
