World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus lashed out at overbearing and bossy coaches on Friday, saying there was no place for them in the sport.
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Sabalenka, who has won three Grand Slams along with 20 tour titles, said in her own experience some coaches in the past had put her down, saying she would not amount to much in tennis.
"It's not about pushing me too hard," Sabalenka told a press conference after her third round straight-sets win over Olga Danilovic of Serbia.
"I've always been quite motivated and they didn't have to push me. But I have heard a lot. Saying I'm not smart enough, that I'm stupid, and I'll never make it, and I don't have anything to make it to the top."
Asked how she reacted to those comments, Sabalenka said: "I was just laughing and saying 'we'll see'."
Sabalenka has been one of the most dominant players of the women's tour in recent years, winning back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024, while also adding the 2024 US Open crown to her collection.
She has also earned close to $35 million in prize money alone in her career.
"I guess I want to send a quick message to them to quit their job, because honestly, I think they know nothing and they better quit just to save other players," she said.