Aryna Sabalenka's team 'made fun of her' moments after lifting Madrid Open title

completed a hat-trick at the Madrid Open on Saturday, beating to at the Caja Magica. The world No. 1 only dropped one set on her way to the title, and she has now extended her lead at the top of the rankings.

But Sabalenka's team had an unusual way of celebrating her latest victory, as they all got out fly-swatters during her victory speech. The newly-crowned champion has now revealed that her support camp had been "making fun" of her after she lashed out at them earlier in the tournament.

The three-time Major winner has a unique relationship with her support staff. She often jokes that she hates them whenever she loses. And they gave her a taste of her own medicine when she defeated Gauff in the championship match in Madrid.

Anton Dubrov, Jason Stacy, and the rest of her team brought coloured fly-swatters into the Caja Magica on Saturday, waving them into the air while she thanked them in her speech.

Afterwards, Sabalenka explained that they were mocking her for something that happened in the third round. The top seed suffered her only major wobble of the tournament against her old doubles partner, Elise Mertens, losing the first set of the match.

Sabalenka left the court for a comfort break and was clearly frustrated when she returned, swatting away her coaches when they tried to speak with her. And her actions reminded them of something.

"It was quite loud, and I couldn't hear what my coach was saying, and I didn't really want to hear what he was saying, so I just did this to him, like wave," the 26-year-old explained.

"I didn't hear what he was saying, but then later on I watched the video and he was saying, 'Oh, yeah, there's flies around, right, like so many flies', which was already quite fun.

"And then on the next match I didn't see it again, and I saw the video of them holding this like fly [swatter].

"And I was like, 'Okay, guys, you're so fun'. Then at the end of the tournament they were like clapping it, yeah."

It's just another day in the Sabalenka camp, as the world No. 1 admitted everyone enjoyed poking fun at one another.

She added: "We just take everything with sarcasm, and we make fun of each other.

"That's the good thing about my team, that they never take things seriously and personal, and they always make fun of me and I make fun of them, so I think that's the key to be kind of like, you know, in peace."

Their relaxed approach is clearly paying off. Sabalenka has reached at least the final of six of the eight tournaments she has played in 2025, and the Madrid Open is her third of the season.