Fans have torn into Aryna Sabalenka and her coaching crew over a video that appears to show them pretending to urinate over her Australian Open trophy.
The world No 1 was left devastated after losing 6-3 2-6 7-5 to Madison Keys in the women's singles final, but is if her actions both during and after the game that have caught the eye of fans.
The defeat denied Sabalenka a third consecutive triumph at the Aussie Open after she won the tournament in 2023 and 2024. It was Keys' first Grand Slam final since 2017 and her first Major win, marking a shock against the heavily fancied Sabalenka.
After the match, however, footage on social media appeared to show both the player and two members of her coaching staff laughing as they pretended to urinate on her runners-up trophy.
Sabalenka, as well as her boyfriend Geogios Frangulis and her fitness coach Jason Stacy were seen performing pelvic thrusts over the trophy, which was on the floor, as they laughed along.
Fans didn't take too kindly to the incident, taking to social media to bash the acts.
'Isn't that disrespectful,' one fan posted on X, formerly Twitter, while another wrote: 'What disgusting and disrespectful actions. They deserve an explanation and public apology for this terrible gesture.'
A third added: 'So not OK. Even if they're joking.'
Sabalenka spoke of having no interest in being runner-up, despite reaching yet another final at the competition.
She said: 'I think when you get to the point of finals, it's trophy or nothing,' she said. 'Nobody remembers the finalist, you know? Nobody put, like, next to the winner (the) finalist name.
'At this point, yeah, I go for titles. Of course, I have to be anyway proud of myself with the finals, three finals in a row. That's something crazy.
'I hope that next year I'll come back as a better player, and I'll hold Daphne (the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup) one more time.' But fans weren't buying the excuse, and continued to criticise her.
One wrote: 'I'm glad she didn't win,' while another added: 'Wow... so disrespectful.' A third posted: 'No class, disrespectful from Sabalenka and team.'
The Belarusian had to reach the final the hard way, beating her close friend Paula Badosa in the semi-finals, but could not muster the power to beat one of the biggest hitters in the game.
She broke down into tears under her towel after losing the final, also smashing her racket in frustration.
After congratulating Keys, Sabalenka covered her face with her towel in front of the 15,000 fans on Rod Laver Arena before storming off to her locker room.
This was Keys' first Grand Slam final since 2017 and her first Major win, marking a shock against the heavily fancied Sabalenka.
