The price of emotion: 'Why is it so surprising to see a player express anger?'
The 2026 US Open crowned its two new champions, Elena Rybakina on the women's side and Alex Zverev on the men's. However, it's the finalists and the starkly different reactions to their post-final reactions and behaviour that have the media in a stir.
Aryna Sabalenka has once again faced a barrage of scrutiny, while Ben Shelton has received swarms of praise. What does this tell us about the price of "emotion" in tennis today?
Sabalenka, 28, lost a fiercely contested three-set thriller, with the final score going the way of Rybakina. After the match, she was visibly frustrated, breaking her racquet and expressing displeasure at the cameraman's attempt to hone in on her emotional state after the game.
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Various news outlets pounced on the reaction, labelling Sabalenka "unsportsmanlike" among an array of colourful language painting her in a villainous light.
Shelton, on the other hand, lost in four sets, with Zverev overcoming the American. His poised reaction and motivated post-match speech had the opposite effect to that of Sabalenka's.
The media labelled him "gracious" and painted the picture of a perfect response to a finals loss as a stepping stone for the future.
But a Grand Slam final is the culmination of a lifetime of work, and two weeks of excruciating physical, mental, and emotional discipline to reach the very end of one of the biggest tournaments. The stress, pressure, and expectations are virtually immeasurable.
In a match where you are expected to leave your soul on the court in search of lifting a Grand Slam trophy, why is it so surprising to see a player express anger when they fall one stop short of doing so?
Each player is different, and it takes different emotions, behaviours, and strategies to bring out the very best in their games.
Of course, respect is not only expected but required on court.
But these players would not be where they are without being authentic to themselves.
For Rybakina, this means a cool and composed outlook, one point at a time.
For Sabalenka, this means fire and fierceness in every moment, with a winner-takes-all mentality.
For Zverev, it means doing whatever it takes to ensure his mind and body enter a flow state.
For Shelton, it means taking the positives and building one day at a time.
If each of these players played, acted, reacted, and spoke the same way, let's face it, this US Open would have been exceptionally boring.
If every tennis player were cool and composed, who would actually tune in to watch?
And neither of the outlooks mentioned above is inherently "wrong". Each of these players has expressed anger and frustration, as well as calmness and composure in different instances and to varying degrees.
They simply function at the highest level in the ways that work best for them. And these will never always be perfect, because, needless to say, they are human.
"It's really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for a three-peat," said Sabalenka after the final.
The world No.2 explained that if she hadn't found a way to vent her anger, she would not have been able to properly and graciously congratulate Rybakina in the ceremony and time that followed the match.
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Comparison is not only completely unnecessary, but it can only deter us from the unique qualities each player and each match-up brings us.
Yes, on and off-court behaviour mustn't cross the line.
But when you play a match at the highest level and have put your all into it, is it really so outlandish to react with displeasure when you fall short?
Does a camera really need to zoom in on your face as you feel the burden of what could have been?
The media, the fans, and players alike all play a role in how we view, perceive, and understand a match, a player, and a moment.
Take a step back, and instead of the immediate critique, we as media and fans take a breath to understand and appreciate what these players offer day in and day out, year-round.
Not every player is the same, and rightfully so, as neither are we.
Of course, everyone will have their favourites or their 'heroes'. But must we paint someone as a villain if they show the slightest emotion? How do we affect these players' responses and reactions if they know they are already the villain in our story?
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