Aryna Sabalenka faces online storm after angry outburst during tennis match against Elina Svitolina

Aryna Sabalenka lashed out in Russian during her WTA Tour Finals match against Elina Svitolina, with a viral video showing the world number two gesturing angrily and swearing. Svitolina won the match with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Explanation

Sabalenka later stated on Instagram that her anger was aimed at a small group of spectators who cheered loudly when she made mistakes, rather than at Svitolina. She added that she should have controlled her emotions better and apologized for causing offense.

Reactions

Svitolina noted that many Ukrainian supporters attended the event to cheer for her. She also pointed out that social media often turns comments into offensive remarks and mentioned receiving hostile messages about the war. Svitolina maintained her policy of not shaking hands with players from Russia and Belarus, and avoided taking pre-match photos with them.

Context

Matches between players from nations involved in the ongoing conflict often carry heavy political tensions. Players from Ukraine frequently decline traditional post-match handshakes with opponents from Russia and Belarus due to the military invasion of their country that began in 2022.