Sabalenka apologises & says viral comment ‘not directed at Svitolina’

Aryna Sabalenka apologised after a video showed her swearing and gesturing during her WTA Finals defeat by Elina Svitolina. She said the remark was not directed at Svitolina, but came after she became frustrated with spectators cheering her mistakes.

The Belarusian player lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to the Ukrainian, and said Svitolina had played a great match and deserved her best wishes for the rest of the tournament. Sabalenka said she should have handled her frustration differently; she is set to drop from world number two as Mirra Andreeva takes that position on Monday. Ukrainian players have a longstanding policy of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian opponents amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.