Aryna Sabalenka: ‘It’s not the best feeling to be hated from people for basically nothing’

Aryna Sabalenka has spoken frankly about the “hate” she is receiving on the WTA Tour due to her nationality, vowing to “focus on herself and on her game” instead of “getting too depressed about this situation”.

Tension in women’s tennis has escalated in recent months with many unhappy with WTA chiefs as well as players’ lack of support and backing for Ukrainian players following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which was supported by its ally Belarus.

Although Sabalenka herself has never expressed any political views, she as well as the Russian and Belarusian contingent on the WTA Tour have come in for some heavy criticism.

The Belarusian first opened up about the “hate” in the WTA locker room in March as she revealed “some girls are aggressive against us” and this week she has again talked about getting “weird” looks and “hate” due to being born in Belarus.

“Definitely I feel a lot of weird looking at me and, yeah, probably hate from some of the people,” the 24-year-old said.

“But now I just realise that I have done nothing bad to Ukraine and I did nothing. There is some people don’t like me just because I was born in Belarus. It’s like it’s their decision, and I cannot control that.

“Yeah, it’s not the best feeling to be hated from people for basically nothing, but it is how it is.”

Sabalenka made a brilliant start to the 2023 tennis season as she won her maiden Grand Slam, the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko was one of those who congratulated her.

Lukashenko again spoke of her success recently saying that the rest of the world knew which country she hailed from even if she was playing under a neutral flag.

“I’m pretty sure that it’s not helping. I don’t know. I don’t know what to say, because again, he can comment my game, he can comment whatever he want to,” Sabalenka added.

“Again, I have nothing to do with politics. I’m just an athlete, yes, from Belarus, and I’m just trying to do my best in my sport. Just trying to focusing on myself.

“If Ukrainians will hate me more after his speech, then like what can I do? If they feel better by hating me, I’m happy to help them with that. They can do that. But the rest, like, if I could stop the war, I would do that, but unfortunately it’s not in my hands and it’s not under my control.

“I’m just trying to stay less in the internet so I’m not going to see anything like that. I’ll be able to focus on myself and on my game and not get too depressed about this situation.”

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka, WTA and Steve Simon slammed as tension in tennis continues to escalate