Aryna Sabalenka may have just missed out on the biggest payday in women's tennis history, but that won't stop her from celebrating what has been a successful season by kicking her feet up in the sun and having a drink.
The Belarusian tennis star missed out on a record-breaking £3.98million prize pot on Saturday when she was beaten by Elena Rybakina in straight sets in the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia.
Rybakina, 26, produced a spectacular performance to sweep aside four-time grand slam champion 6-3 7-6 (7-0), in what was Sabalenka's final tournament of the season.
Sabalenka cut an emotional figure after the defeat, struggling to hold back the tears as she sat with her coaching staff directly after the defeat.
However, when on the microphone, she had a positive outlook on both the tournament and the season as a whole, and admitted that she will now hit the tequila in the Maldives in order to celebrate all her successes.
'After a while, I actually feel great. I lost, but she played amazingly. I think I did my best. It didn't work, but I'm leaving this tournament proud of myself and everything we've achieved this year.
'I can say that from all the mistakes I made this year, next time we will come more prepared and with better control in big matches.
'Maybe I was a little emotional today, but it didn't affect my game. I just didn't take advantage of some of the chances I had.
'Now it's time to sit down in the Maldives, maybe drink some tequila and analyse my season, my behavior and emotions. I think it's been great so far, I just need to be even better with myself and continue to improve next year.'
Overall, it has been a year to remember for Sabalenka, despite the crushing defeat in Saudi Arabia.
She won her fourth grand slam of the year in September when she beat Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 to win the US Open for the second consecutive year.
Win or lose, she loves to have fun. Back in her locker room post-match, Sabalenka's team drenched each other in champagne before the 27-year-old told reporters: 'Oh girl, we're gonna drink.'
The celebrations didn't stop that night, with Sabalenka now enjoying a luxurious holiday with her Brazilian entrepreneur boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, who she has been dating since April 2024.
She shared snaps of the getaway to her Instagram on Monday, showing the pair soaking up the sun on a lavish yacht in an unknown location.
The triumph at Flushing Meadows was a relief for Sabalenka, who suffered heartache in the finals of both the French Open and the Australian Open earlier this season.
Those two finals also showcased how Sabalenka's emotions can get the better of her, as they did in Saudi on Saturday. But at the US Open, she managed to keep them in check to get one over Anisimova.
'After those two finals where I completely lost control over my emotions, I just didn't want that to happen again,' Sabalenka said.
'There were a few moments when I was this close to just let it go. I was like "C'mon now, you have to stay focused. Keep going, keep trying." It's really helped me.
'I think I have to keep the same mindset every time – hopefully I'm going to make many more finals – so every time I'm in the final, I have to stick to the same plan.'
