World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka shuts down US Open reporter in tense exchange: ‘You are a joke’

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has slammed a US Open reporter for a series of “joke” questions after her second-round victory on Thursday (AEST).

The two-time defending champion overwhelmed Polina Latcenko 6-1 6-1 in 53 minutes, putting on a power-hitting display that has her on track for a history-making third consecutive title.

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But after the match she was subjected to some curly questions for the second time in a row.

After her first-round match, Sabalenka was asked about her energy levels following a series of off-court events in the lead-up to the tournament.

A similar line of questioning followed this time, and Sabalenka snapped back.

Reporter: “Well done tonight, I’m curious, how are you finding your mood now that the tournament has started? Obviously last week it’s lots of parties and fun and stuff like that...”

Sabalenka: “You guys are like a joke. Parties. Fun. Why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? Like, what kind of question is that? Just because I posted some activities with brands and you think that I’ve been partying and not training?”

Reporter: “I’m not suggesting you were partying… I’m saying there are a lot of events and things like that. I’m not saying you go to the parties.”

Sabalenka: “You literally said that.”

Reporter: “Excuse me? For everyone who’s unclear, I’m not suggesting that Aryna is having fun at these parties. I’m saying she makes a lot of appearances and there’s a lot to do.” Sabalenka: “OK. Move on.” Reporter: “Now that the tournaments started, do you find you’re getting quite serious and combative?”

Sabalenka: “(Sarcastically) Oh yeah, I wasn’t serious before that. Next question.

The press conference continued with another question before Sabalanka fired one final shot, saying: “Think before you say stuff.”

Sabalenka won 15 of 16 points on first serve in the first set and only dropped off a little in the second, finishing 21 for 28 in the match.

Sabalenka is trying to become the first player to win three in a row in Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams from 2012-14, but arrived after losing in the fourth round of her past three tournaments. She needs help to stay atop the WTA rankings even if she wins the title.

But she made it clear if she loses the top spot, it won’t be without a fight.

“Happy with the level I played today, happy with the focus and happy to be through this match,” she said.

Fellow seeded players Jessica Pegula and Karolina Muchova also dispatched of their opposition in lightning-quick time.

No.3 seed Pegula needed only 56 minutes to defeat Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-1, after the 2020 Australian Open champion beat Venus Williams in her first match.

“To be out of there in under an hour, it doesn’t always happen,” Pegula said.

“So I think I’m just going to take that one and run, I guess, until the next round.”

World No.7 Karolina Muchova stormed into the ‌third round with a crushing ‌6-1 6-0 victory over Britain’s Katie Boulter.

Rain forced the ‌meeting to be moved to the roofed Louis Armstrong Stadium and the two-time semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows was ruthless from start to finish.

World No.62 Boulter, who recently married Australian tennis ace Alex de Minaur, briefly threatened to ‌make a ‌contest of ⁠it by breaking Muchova’s first service ​game, but she struggled to find any rhythm after that.

Muchova recovered immediately and took full advantage of Boulter’s unforced errors, 15 of which came in the first set alone, to ⁠take the opener.

The second ‌followed ​much the same script, with the Czech continuing to dictate ​play while ‌Boulter failed to hold serve throughout the match, allowing ​Muchova to secure the win in under an hour.

With rain coming down for a second day in New York, play was suspended again for a time on outside courts, allowing only play under the roofs in Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium to continue uninterrupted.

Those are second-round matches, while some players were still playing their first. When the US Open switched to a Sunday start last year, it spread out the first round over the first three days, so Wednesday would have arrived with everyone playing in the second round had the weather cooperated.

It hadn’t, and some players were not only still playing their first match, but they had to hope the weather cleared enough later so they wouldn’t have to resume it Thursday.

No.11 seed Marta Kostyuk also advanced, getting past 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-1 7-5, while Emma Navarro beat Caty McNally 3-6 6-2 6-3.

— With AAP

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