‘I understand why some people think I’m a bitch’: world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on screaming, stunt matches, and why she’s much nicer off court

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, 28, speaks to The Guardian ahead of Wimbledon about her high-profile meltdown at the French Open, where she blew a 5-3 second-set lead against world No. 25 Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals after having beaten Naomi Osaka in the last 16. Following the collapse, Sabalenka publicly stated she felt like walking away from tennis entirely. In the interview, she addresses her on-court demeanour and explains why her 'aggressive' appearance gives people a misleading impression of her personality off court.