MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.— World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka arrived at her pre-tournament interviews on Tuesday at the Miami Open in a typically bubbly mood.
Sabalenka is a reliably buoyant presence, but she’s enjoying an especially high tide right now after several big moments in recent weeks. She recently acquired, in order: a new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Ash; a massive diamond engagement ring from her fiancé, Georgios Frangulis; and her first title at ATP-WTA 1000 Indian Wells.
But Sabalenka’s tone changed abruptly when, as she was talking about her scheduling decisions, I asked her about the sharp rebuke she’d drawn from tournament director Salah Tahlak after withdrawing from his WTA 1000 Dubai event last month.
Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday at the Miami Open. (Photo by Ben Rothenberg for Bounces)
The WTA No. 1 did not hold back, and threatened to boycott one of the WTA’s elite events—the one in the city where she’s based, no less.
“I’m not sure if I ever want to go [back] there, after his comment.” -Aryna Sabalenka
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