Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has said that some fans' behavior made her angry during her loss to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals.
A video that went viral showed Sabalenka, who is ranked number two in the world, swearing in Russian and acting angrily during her 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 loss to Svitolina on Saturday.
This video stirred up controversy online. Some people thought Sabalenka was insulting Svitolina or Ukrainians in general.
But the 28-year-old player said she was not aiming her anger at Svitolina. She explained that her frustration came from fans who were celebrating her mistakes loudly.
In a statement she shared on social media on Saturday, Sabalenka admitted she lost her cool. However, she insisted her comments were not meant for Svitolina.
"My comment was not directed at Elina. I was frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering my mistakes, and I reacted emotionally in the moment," she wrote.
"That said, I should have handled my frustration differently, and I apologise to anyone offended."
Sabalenka also praised Svitolina’s game, calling it a great match. She wished Svitolina the best for the rest of the tournament.
This incident happens against the backdrop of tense relations between Ukrainian players and their Russian and Belarusian peers after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ukrainian players have a policy of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian players after matches. They also do not take pictures together before matches.
This practice shows the ongoing tensions from the war and continues to affect how players from these countries interact on the tennis circuit.
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