Sabalenka sorry for outburst in Svitolina defeat

Aryna Sabalenka expressed remorse on Saturday for her on-court outburst during her loss to Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells. The former world number one had sworn during a tirade that some social media commentators had interpreted as directed at Svitolina or Ukrainians in general. However, Sabalenka clarified in an Instagram post that her comment was not aimed at Svitolina, but rather at a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering her mistakes.

She acknowledged her frustration and apologized to anyone she may have offended. Svitolina, who has a history of not shaking hands with tennis players from Russia and its ally Belarus due to the war in Ukraine, acknowledged that playing against Sabalenka could be emotionally charged for her fans, as many Ukrainians were present and hoping for her victory.

Despite the tense atmosphere, both players expressed respect for each other's fans and hoped for a respectful match.