Sabalenka sorry for outburst in Svitolina defeat

Former world number one Aryna Sabalenka offered an apology on Saturday following an on-court outburst during her loss to Ukrainian opponent Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells. Social media posts showed the tennis star appearing to swear in a fit of rage, with some viewers believing she was directing her anger at Svitolina or Ukrainians in general.

In a post on Instagram, Sabalenka clarified that her outburst was not aimed at Svitolina, but rather at a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering her mistakes. She acknowledged her mistake in handling her frustration and apologized to anyone she may have offended. Svitolina, who has a history of refusing to shake hands with Russian tennis players due to her stance on the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, expressed understanding for the extra significance of playing against Sabalenka.

She acknowledged that many fans and flags representing Ukraine would be rooting for her during the match. Svitolina, who defeated Linda Noskova to reach the Finals title match, appreciated Sabalenka's fans as well, stating that she respects the competition and hopes for respectful interactions on the court.