Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka stated she struggled to know the “hate” she encountered within the locker room amid strained relations between some gamers following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The world quantity two has beforehand stated she has nothing towards Ukrainian folks and felt dangerous for them as Moscow’s motion rages on. Belarus has been a staging space for the invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.
“It was really tough for me because I’ve never faced that much hate in the locker room,” Sabalenka stated forward of the Miami Open. “There are a lot of haters on Instagram when you’re losing matches, but in the locker room I’ve never faced that.
“It was really tough to understand that there’s so many people who hate me for no reason. I did nothing.”
Australian Open champion Sabalenka misplaced within the closing of Indian Wells to Elena Rybakina on Sunday.
Earlier within the event, Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko withdrew from her match towards Sabalenka over a panic assault triggered by a dialog with WTA chief Steve Simon about tennis’s response to Russia’s invasion.
Sabalenka stated she had been having “weird conversations” with members of some gamers’ groups within the final yr.
“It was really tough but now it’s getting better,” she stated.
World primary Iga Swiatek has known as for extra help to be provided to Ukrainian gamers, saying the tennis management was not doing sufficient, however two-times Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus stated that was not the case.
“There are certain players that have different feelings and behaviours. Overall, I don’t necessarily share the same opinion as Iga does,” Azarenka stated.
“I’d encourage her to look at the things that have been done before she makes comments. As a player council member I’m happy to provide the facts. That would be a more appropriate way to have that conversation.”
Reuters