Sabalenka apologises and says viral comment not directed at Svitolina

Aryna Sabalenka, the 28‑year‑old world number two, apologised and denied that her angry comment was aimed at Elina Svitolina after a video of her swearing during her WTA Finals defeat went viral.

The clip, posted on Saturday, shows Sabalenka gesturing and shouting in Russian as she lost 6-3 3-6 6-1 to the Ukrainian. Some commentators suggested the remarks could be taken as an insult toward Svitolina or Ukrainians in general.

Sabalenka wrote on social media that "my comment was not directed at Elina". She added "I was frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering my mistakes, and I reacted emotionally in the moment," and "That said, I should have handled my frustration differently, and I apologise to anyone offended." She praised Svitolina’s performance and said she wished her "all the best for the rest of the tournament". Ukrainian players continue a policy of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian opponents and avoiding pre‑match photographs because of the ongoing invasion.