Aryna Sabalenka delivered a moment of blunt honesty Sunday after being knocked out of Wimbledon in the Round of 16.
Sabalenka fell in straight sets to Naomi Osaka, the latest in a series of disappointing major performances for the world No. 1 in 2026. After the match, she admitted that her frustration was high, and that she basically needed to forget about the whole sport for a while.
“I feel like I just, I don’t even want to think about ranking at this point,” Sabalenka said. “I just want to go get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape.”
Aryna Sabalenka says she wants to get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try harder next time after her loss to Naomi Osaka
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 5, 2026
“Do you feel like you’re the world #1 player at the moment? If not, what do you feel like you need to do to get back to that status?”
Aryna: “Ah,… pic.twitter.com/f5GW44KPfJ
Sabalenka has failed to win any of the three majors she has entered this year. She lost in the final of the Australian Open and fell in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. In the past, she has been accused of being graceless in defeat, but most people probably won’t argue with these comments.
Osaka, meanwhile, is heading to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time. She will face Karolina Muchova on Tuesday for a spot in the last four.
