Aryna Sabalenka was left furious by a perceived lack of sportsmanship from Amanda Anisimova during her Wimbledon semi-final defeat.
The world no.1 fell to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 loss to the American Anisimova on the All England Club, who reached the primary Grand Slam final of her profession.
In an epic encounter that lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes, tensions between the pair ran high, and threatened to boil over at times.
One particular incident within the third set managed to rile Sabalenka, when her opponent refused to apologise after winning some extent from a favourable net cord.
With Anisimova leading 4-2, she clinched the sport when her forehand clipped the highest of the online and left Sabalenka unable to return it.
Players often hold a hand up in apology when that happens, but Anisimova as an alternative punched the air in celebration.
This left Sabalenka visibly angered, who turned to her box before glaring at Anisimova and appearing to shout: ‘Why didn’t you sorry’.
And after the match, the Belarusian later admitted she had been irritated by the US star’s failure to supply an apology.
When asked in regards to the incident, she said: “I used to be like: ‘You don’t wish to express regret?’
“She just wanted, I assume, badly, to win this match. It’s on her. If she doesn’t feel like saying sorry, like she barely got that time and she or he didn’t feel like saying sorry for that tricky situation, that’s on her.”
This wasn’t the one time Sabalenka was angered by Anisimova’s behaviour, who also appeared to have fun some extent prematurely.
During one point within the second set, the US star seemingly celebrated a backhand winner before the ball had gone past the three-time Grand Slam champion.
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And Sabalenka didn’t hold back when she was asked in regards to the moment in her post-match press conference.
The 27-year-old recalled: “I used to be just attempting to chase the ball. Yeah, she was already celebrating it. I used to be like: ‘That’s a bit too early’.
“Then she form of p***** me off saying that’s what she does on a regular basis.
“But I used to be grateful she actually said that since it actually helped me to maintain fighting.
“So, I got here back because I got really indignant in that moment.”
Despite Sabalenka’s comments nonetheless, Anisimova later said she had not been celebrating and that any noise heard was a ‘long grunt’.
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When asked for her side of the story after the match, the 23-year-old said: “No, I wasn’t celebrating.
“It was similar to a protracted grunt, I assume. I don’t really know what was the deal there to be honest because I didn’t feel prefer it was that interfering. I attempted to not do it again.”
Despite the controversy, Anisimova was otherwise delighted as she celebrated reaching the Wimbledon final just two years after she stepped away from tennis for a mental health break.
Reflecting on her victory in her on-court interview, she said: “This does not feel real without delay.
“Aryna is such a troublesome competitor and I used to be absolutely dying on the market.
“She’s an inspiration to me and so many other people.
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“To return out on top and be in the ultimate at Wimbledon is incredibly special.
Anisimova added “To be honest, for those who told me I can be in the ultimate of Wimbledon I might not consider you. Especially not this soon.
“It has been a 12 months’s turnaround. To be in the ultimate is just indescribable, truthfully.”
Anisimova will now battle five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek for glory, who also reached her first-ever Wimbledon final with a thumping 6-2 6-0 victory over Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic within the last 4.