SABALENKA FELLED BY EMOTIONS, PRESSURE

World No. 2 Belarusian breaks down and smashes racket after last-32 Miami loss to Ukrainian

MIAMI A traumatic week for world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka came to an end with a last-32, three-set loss in the Miami Open to Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina on March 23.

The 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 win for the 36thranked Kalinina prompted Sabalenka, who had kept her emotions in check through both of her matches at Hard Rock Stadium, to smash her racket violently into the court.

The result and outburst are hardly a surprise, coming at the end of a pressure-packed week for the Australian Open champion.

On March 18, Belarusian Sabalenka's former boyfriend, former National Hockey League player Konstantin Koltsov, died at a Miami resort after what police called an "apparent suicide". The pair had been in a relationship until recently and Sabalenka only announced they were no longer together following the death.

Sabalenka issued a brief statement on March 20 saying her "heart was broken" by the "unthinkable tragedy" but has otherwise remained out of the spotlight.