The incident occurred during Friday’s match, which saw Sabalenka exit the tournament following a 3-6, 6-3, 1-6 loss. In a statement posted to her Instagram account on Saturday, the four-time Grand Slam champion explained that her reaction was a result of provocation from a small group of fans in the stands rather than any personal animosity toward her opponent.
Clarifying the Context of the Incident
Sabalenka stated that her frustration was triggered by spectators who were aggressively cheering whenever she committed an error. She acknowledged that her emotional reaction was inappropriate and expressed regret for the way she handled the situation. She explicitly clarified that her comments were not aimed at Svitolina and offered her well wishes to the Ukrainian player for the remainder of the tournament.
Elina Svitolina, who has maintained a policy of not shaking hands with players from Russia and Belarus since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, addressed the situation on Saturday. She noted that matches against Sabalenka often carry significant emotional weight for her supporters, given the presence of many Ukrainian fans and flags in the crowd. Svitolina acknowledged seeing the social media discourse surrounding the match but expressed a hope that future encounters between the two would be treated with mutual respect.
Reflecting on the broader context of their rivalry, Svitolina noted that she has previously faced negative comments regarding the war during matches. She observed that social media can sometimes distort the reality of on-court interactions. Svitolina, who secured her place in the final after defeating Linda Noskova on Saturday, emphasised that both players have their own dedicated fanbases and that the focus should remain on the sport.
