Ahead of the Stuttgart Open final, Aryna Sabalenka had stated, “It doesn’t matter what happened in the past, I’m going to go out there tomorrow and fight like it’s the first match.” Despite reaching the final for the fourth time. Previously, she came close in 2021 against Ashleigh Barty, and in 2022 and 2023 against Iga Swiatek. And her repeated desire to win the Porsche, she was defeated by Jelena Ostapenko. While some fans expressed sadness over her loss, others were critical of the events that followed.

On Monday in Stuttgart, Jelena Ostapenko stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-1 to win in just 85 minutes her first Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title, her ninth career trophy, and her first on clay since her memorable 2017 French Open victory. The beaming 27-year-old Latvian sealed the win with a powerful forehand to the cheers of 4,200 fans. “I love playing here,” she said in her winner’s speech. “It really was a perfect week for me.”

Jelena had a spectacular week, overpowering US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro, three-time Stuttgart champion Iga Swiatek. Having never gone beyond the quarterfinals in six prior attempts, this victory was a significant breakthrough. “I felt very confident from the very first day. I had this strange, but also good feeling, that something special could happen here,” she said, thrilled with her $17,148,983 prize and a new £97,000 Porsche Macan Turbo.

But the post-match drama didn’t end with the trophy presentation. As Ostapenko approached the net with a wide grin, a viral slow-motion clip showed Sabalenka looking less than thrilled, her handshake coming off as cold and distant. Fans on social media quickly pounced, calling it “disrespectful” and speculating that Sabalenka’s disappointment—especially at missing out on the coveted Porsche—was hard to hide.

Despite the awkward handshake, the energy in the arena was electric, and Ostapenko’s joy was infectious. Sabalenka, meanwhile, kept her chin up, joking in her speech about needing to buy her own Porsche. “You were a better player today than me,” she admitted graciously. Meanwhile Ostapenko teased back, “I think you hate me now because you wanted this car so badly!”

While their exchange at the trophy ceremony was lighthearted, fans just can’t seem to wrap their head around Sabalenka’s handshake move.

Fans call out Aryna for unsportsmanlike behaviour following defeat

One user perfectly captured Ostapenko’s attitude with, “Ostapenka…’Yeah, whatever.’” This was a huge win for the Latvian, as she defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for the first time after three losses. It’s also her first clay title since her 2017 French Open victory. Her path to the title included a win over the world No. 2, a rare achievement on clay. And this victory is set to propel her WTA ranking from around No. 24 into the top 20, providing significant momentum for the remainder of the clay season.

Some fans think Sabalenka said something off at the net. One pointed out, “Sabs said something disrespectful you can tell how the smile left Jelena’s face.” The theory gained steam with a slow-mo replay where Jelena’s grin just disappears as Aryna walks by. Fans are connecting this to Sabalenka’s past: “She’s not a good loser. After all she smashed her racquet in front of Madison after losing the AO. Did worse than that afterwards with her team because she didn’t like the plate!!”

After losing to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final (6-3, 2-6, 7-5), Sabalenka smashed her racquet in frustration right on the court. Later, she didn’t hide her disappointment receiving the runner-up prize. “I think when you get to the point of finals, it’s trophy or nothing,” she said during the trophy presentation. “Nobody remembers the finalist, you know? Nobody put, like, next to the winner (the) finalist name.”

Not everyone’s buying the outrage. “People only critize Iga,” one fan noted, possibly hinting at Iga Swiatek’s post-match handshake in the quarterfinals against Jelena. It was short, curt, and to many, cold. Fans noticed this was their sixth meeting—and the sixth time the Latvian has taken her down.

But they weren’t happy to see the world No. 2 show such chilly behavior on court. Another fan added, “Saba forces her opponents into hugs at the net when she wins,” hinting at double standards and Sabalenka’s usual friendliness—at least when she’s on the winning side, often engulfing her opponent in a hug..

And finally, some just find the whole debate silly: “how is this disrespectful LOOL imagine being this weird,” especially when you watch the handshake from Sabalenka’s angle and see her smile politely before moving on. Perspective is everything! Even in her post-match speech, Aryna held no grudge.

She reflected on her Stuttgart journey: “I lost three finals here against No. 1s. So I was, like, ‘Okay I have to do it. I have to come back here as the world No. 1’. I want to finally win the Porsche this year.” Despite the loss, Sabalenka’s determination is fierce, and she’s already plotting her return.

The handshake saga has fans split, but one thing’s clear—everyone’s got an opinion. And the drama is as entertaining as the tennis itself. Now, it’s time for the next tournament: the Madrid Open. Can Aryna bring back her winning energy and take her third title there before heading to Roland Garros?