Out of rage

CEBU, Philippines — Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka lost the US Open final in three sets. But she acted so unlike her country that enables Russia to invade Ukraine. She graciously accepted defeat, tried to deflect her tears with a laugh during the trophy ceremony, with cameras on for the entire world to see.

But when she was alone in her locker room, she smashed her racquet for losing the match she thought was hers after she took the first set. It must have been the best time to vent her anger and frustration at herself and at the situation. The match is over, she wouldn’t be fined for racquet abuse. And no one was watching anyway. Or so she thought.

One of the cameras recorded her moment of rage, and an unseen hand leaked the footage. But no one is complaining against her. Instead of getting flak for the supposed flop, the runner-up is given a plaque for her ability to control her emotions at a place and occasion that call for propriety – the center court awarding ceremony. And she is understood for her meltdown at a place where no one was supposed to see. No one is happy to lose, especially with her status. Seeded number two and will be world number one, win or lose. And she lost, but consoled with the world top ranking.

It may be easy to argue she faked her behavior on center court. Not necessarily. It is more about being in control of the emotion and the situation. Otherwise known as civility. Or maturity. In fact, she still managed to keep her broken heart intact by dropping her broken racquet in a receptacle for broken pieces. Anyone would have behaved worse and messed up the tidy place. But she was still better than her worse, as opposed to others who are worse at their best.

Anger is a legitimate feeling. It humanizes even the meekest of men and women. But when vented at injustice and inequity, it empowers even the weakest of human beings. Just as road rage obfuscates even the calmest of men and women. But for some reason bad roads silence even the loudest of human beings.

Even flooding on the streets is neither flooded with sustained disgust nor dissent. A rant here and there withers when the weather becomes whiter. Until parking becomes parting with the motor vehicle the owners worked so hard for, in the name of convenience, mobility and appearances that disappear in an instant, when nature’s fury and human folly conspire to be poignant.