'Sore loser': Tennis world fumes over 'horrible' post-match act
Aryna Sabalenka has taken to social media to apologise for a petulant post-match act that left tennis fans seething.
Top-seed Sabalenka went down to fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals-finals of the WTA's Canadian Open.
'UNCERTAIN': Federer's concerning call as mystery surrounds return
'PAINFUL': Fans saddened by Venus and Serena Williams news
'SAD NEWS': Tennis fans gutted over Rafa Nadal announcement
However, it was her reaction after the straight sets defeat that drew criticism from fans on social media.
The Belarusian was clearly frustrated by the manner of the loss as she walked towards the net for the customary post-match handshake.
Pliskova held her hand out in a mark of respect for Sabalenka but the 23-year-old didn't appear to be in any mood for pleasantries.
Sabalenka's gesture could barely be considered a handshake as she half-heartedly dangled an arm out before quickly pulling it away.
To her credit, Pliskova didn't make a fuss as she turned away and headed off the court but viewers were filthy with Sabalenka, who later took to Instagram to apologise for her bad sportsmanship.
Sabalenka has this kind of unsportsmanlike & sore loser attitude EVERYTIME she loses a match. Always that awful handshake at the net to her better opponent.
I wonder if the @WTA will ever going to do anything regarding this behaviour of their players.— AG (@AriePasGun) August 14, 2021
Me too, that racket throw prior handshake was terrible as well
— sharapetrabot🦁🦒🐻 (@alyxloveskaja) August 14, 2021
What was with that Sabalenka racquet throw and handshake at the end lol 😆
— Andrew 🇨🇦 (@A_J_McLaren) August 14, 2021
Yikes. Bit of a fly-by handshake from Aryna Sabalenka after Karolia Pliskova dismisses her from the #OBN21 semis. Pliskova handle the windy conditions much better than Sabalenka.
— Neil (@NeilGetReal) August 14, 2021
Sabalenka really needs to do better with handshakes.
— Dermot (@returnofserve) August 14, 2021
What a horrible handshake from Sabalenka in the end !
— Nipunizing..!! (@iNipun_K) August 14, 2021
"My behaviour today was not professional. I want to apologise for this. @KarolinaPliskova was better today," Sabalenka wrote on Instagram.
"PS sorry for that handshake… I just completely lost my mind in that moment."
"We'll try next time," Sabalenka added, with three flexing bicep emojis.
Karolina Pliskova into final against Camilia Giorgi
Czech Pliskova broke in the third game of the match to take a 2-1 lead when Sabalenka sent a ball long after an extended rally.
World No.3 Sabalenka began to settle in midway through the second set but Pliskova used her strong serve to stay ahead, saving a break point with an ace and two other unplayable serves.
"I'm quite calm. Of course I have some nerves and emotions but I try not to show it that much," World No.6 Pliskova said.
"There is a lot of things happening on the court but I think the main thing is just to have a goal and follow that goal."
Pliskova won the most recent of her 16 WTA Tour titles in 2020 in Brisbane.
Last month, she beat Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semi-finals, then lost to Australia's world No.1 Ash Barty.
"I think I was super solid today," Pliskova said after her 6-3 6-4 victory on Saturday.
"Just did everything I was supposed to do to win this match."
Pliskova will face Camilia Giorgi in the decider after the Italian accounted for Jessica Pegula 6-3 3-6 6-1 in the night match.
World No.71 Giorgi has two career victories, the most recent in 2018 at Linz.
Pegula, the daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owners Kim and Terry Pegula, won her lone WTA Tour title in 2019, beating Giorgi in the final in Washington.
with AAP
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.