Aryna Sabalenka fell just short of the biggest single payday in women’s tennis history, losing to Elena Rybakina in the WTA Finals on Saturday, November 8.

After the match, cameras caught the player in tears while microphones picked up her trash talking her opponent.

Sabalenka, 27, smashed her racket and receded to her chair after her defeat. Amid her frustration, she muttered in Russian, “Once a year even the stick shoots,” according to video shared on social media.

The phrase is a Russian idiom that implies Sabalenka believes Rybakina’s success was a fluke, rather than a result of her skill.

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Once she cooled down, Sabalenka was able to give credit to Rybakina, 26.

“I am getting old, I am getting really sensitive,” Sabalenka said during the trophy ceremony. “So many things to be proud of. Not the best performance, she was definitely the better player. She literally smashed me out of the court.”

Even in defeat, Sabalenka set a WTA record for earnings in a single season. The $2.695 million she took home for her runner-up finish brought her 2025 total to $15 million, shattering the previous mark of $12.385 million set by Serena Williams in 2013.

One of the highlights of Sabalenka’s season came at the 2025 U.S. Open, where she won her second straight championship in women’s singles, defeating Amanda Anisimova in the final.

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Sabalenka struck a different tone after that match compared to her outburst at the WTA Finals, praising Anisimova, 24, and wishing her opponent luck as her career continues.

“Congrats Amanda on reaching back to back Slam final [Wimbledon and US Open],” Sabalenka said during an on-court interview. “I know how much it hurts, losing in the final. But trust me, the moment you’re going to win the first one — and you are going to win it. You play incredible tennis!”

She added, “Congrats to you and your team on the things you’ve achieved after your comeback. Girl, you’re gonna enjoy it even more after the tough losses in the final.”

Looking back at that moment and others, Sabalenka took to Instagram on Sunday, November 9, posting a carousel of photos from the year.

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“And that’s a wrap on the 2025 season!” she wrote in the caption. “This was a tough year, but incredibly rewarding. A Grand Slam title, World #1 for the second consecutive year 🤯, and a few trophies later… I couldn’t have done it without Team Tiger — the people that are by my side time and time again. I’ve learned so many lessons this year through the ups and the downs of every single tournament and the training in between. Beyond blessed and grateful for it all. ♥️ 2026 season — bring it on 💪🏼”

“One more meu amor!” her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis, wrote in the comments. “Can’t wait for 2026.”

Sabalenka and Frangulis first met in January 2024, going Instagram official that July. Speaking to Us Weekly exclusively in June 2025, she explained what it meant to have his support amid a grueling tennis season.

“His support means so much to me,” she told Us. “Being on the road and having him support me, to make me laugh and to be able to workout together, makes life on the road feel more like home.”

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