Top 10 Craziest Moments of Last Season (Part 2): Sinner’s Suspension and Sabalenka’s Outburst!

Today, Beijing time, the start of the United Cup marks the official opening of the new season, yet the recap of last season’s events is still underway.

In the earlier article, I narrated the first half of the top ten most outrageous moments in tennis from last season; now, let’s dive into the second half.

No. 5 Sabalenka “Disparages” Gauff

After unexpectedly losing to Keys in the Australian Open final at the start of the year, Sabalenka faced another American—former French Open finalist Gauff—in the French Open final, but once again, the Belarusian lost. Consecutive Grand Slam defeats drove her to lose control, and her remarks at the post-match press conference sparked a huge controversy on social media.

She publicly dismissed Gauff’s excellent performance, with a clearly sour tone, even implying, “If it had been Swiatek in the final, the outcome would have been different.”

Fortunately, the next day Sabalenka tried to clarify her comments publicly, but by then public opinion had already turned against her. As the year-end WTA world No.1, she spent nearly the following months apologizing for her words.

No. 4 Rybakina’s “Cold Shoulder” to the WTA Finals

This incident had its reasons: early in the year, Rybakina’s coach Vukov was suspended for violating WTA conduct rules, which severely affected her form.

However, she made a late-season surge, clinching the last spot at the WTA Finals and ultimately winning the championship.

Yet at the trophy ceremony, she refused to pose for a photo with WTA Chair Archer, a move that sparked widespread debate. Some supported her, others thought she was out of line. In any case, the “Ice Princess” handled the matter in her usual detached manner.

No. 3 Medvedev’s “Performance Art” at the US Open

It’s well known that Medvedev is emotional on court, but his behavior at the US Open was truly shocking.

Since rising to fame in 2019, last season was arguably his worst Grand Slam performance. After losing another five-set battle to Bonzi, Medvedev finally lost his temper completely, stirring up the crowd and smashing his racket forcefully.

No. 2 Townsend’s Fierce Confrontation with Ostapenko

Drama is never missing in tennis! Townsend defeated Ostapenko in the second round of the US Open, but the real tension was just beginning.

During a heated argument, Latvian Ostapenko directly accused Townsend of being “uncultured” and “uneducated.”

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka immediately came to Townsend’s defense: “That’s one of the worst things you could say to a Black tennis player.”

In the end, Townsend not only won the match but also taunted her opponent after the game: “I’ve beaten her in Canada and New York; let’s see what else she can say.”

No. 1 Sinner’s Suspension

Sinner’s victories aren’t news, but his suspension certainly is. Entering 2025, after winning the Australian Open, Sinner’s delayed suspension for failing a drug test in 2024 arrived “just in time.” Ultimately, the world No.1 reluctantly accepted a three-month ban and returned at his home tournament, the Rome Masters during the clay season, making the timing seem quite deliberate.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Luo Cheng Qiye)