The key facts
- Sabalenka lost to Svitolina 6:3, 3:6, 6:1 and was eliminated from the WTA Finals in Indian Wells
- Ukrainian tennis media suggested, based on her lip movements, that she said an insult directed at Ukrainians
- Sabalenka said her words were aimed at spectators and apologized; Svitolina called for respect in their matches
What Happened at the Tournament
Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka apologized on Saturday for her emotional reaction during a match at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells (California), where on Friday she lost to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6:3, 3:6, 6:1 and was eliminated from the tournament.
The Controversial Remark and the Apology
A video circulated on social media which, according to Ukrainian tennis media, showed that Sabalenka, judging by her lip movements, uttered a phrase in Russian containing an insult directed at Ukrainians. The athlete herself stated on Instagram that her comment was not aimed at Svitolina: she said she got angry at a small group of spectators who aggressively cheered her errors and reacted emotionally. At the same time, she admitted she should have handled her frustration differently and apologized to everyone she offended, noting that Svitolina played an excellent match.
Svitolina's Reaction and the Rest of the Tournament Picture
Svitolina, in response, told journalists that she hopes for a respectful attitude toward the matches between them, noting the presence of Ukrainian fans in the stands and mentioning that she had previously already encountered hostile comments related to the war in Ukraine. Since February 2022 she has not shaken hands with Russian and Belarusian tennis players — a position also held by other Ukrainian players. In Sunday's final of the tournament with a prize fund of $10 million, Svitolina, the 2018 WTA Finals champion, will face 18-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva.
