WTA finalist from Indian Wells, the Belarusian player, who points to second place in the world, returned to the atmosphere that has reigned for a year on the circuit, in connection with the war in Ukraine.
Belarusian world number two Aryna Sabalenka lamented on Tuesday, March 21, having been confronted with “hate” of some Ukrainians on the world circuit, since the start of the war, in February 2022. “It was really, really hard for me, because I had never faced so much hate in the locker room.she said in Miami, on the sidelines of the WTA 1000 tournament, in response to a question about what she described as “tensions” between her and Ukrainian players.
“Obviously on Instagram there are a lot of people who hate you as soon as you lose games, but what I experienced in the dressing room, I had never faced it.she continued. We didn’t fight, but we had some weird conversations, not with the girls, but with their staff members. Really, it was a tough time, but now it’s better”, testified the native of Minsk. Like all Russian and Belarusian players, she is authorized to play on the circuit, but under a neutral banner.
In Indian Wells, the imbroglio with the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko
“I had a hard time understanding that there are so many people hating me for no reason. I didn’t do anythinginsisted the winner of the Australian Open. I realized that it wasn’t my fault and that I had done them no harm. And I’m sure the other Russian and Belarusian athletes didn’t do anything to the Ukrainians either. I just realized that these are all emotions and that I have to ignore them, focus on myself (…). I can’t control other people’s emotions.“
In Indian Wells last week, Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko withdrew rather than face Aryna Sabalenka, claiming to have been taken by a “panic attack”, following a conversation with WTA boss Steve Simon, who tried to justify the fact that Russians and Belarusians were not excluded from the circuit. “Tsurenko’s withdrawal is not due to a panic attack or the political situation, I think there is something more, replied the Belarusian. I found myself in a very difficult situation last year with his coach, because of the way he behaved with me.“
This week in Miami, three Ukrainians are in the final draw: Anhelina Kalinina, Lesia Tsurenko and Marta Kostyuk. Aryna Sabalenka will only be able to cross paths with one of the first two at the semi-final stage, and the third only in the final.