(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Aryna Sabalenka very directly highlighted that she is not supporting the war nor Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. After being confronted by a Ukrainian journalist and skipping two press conferences, Sabalenka defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-4 to progress into the French Open semifinal.
Following her win over Svitolina, Sabalenka returned to the press room. Sabalenka once again noted that she is against the war and this time made sure to make everything perfectly clear. “I don’t support war, meaning I don’t support Lukashenko right now,” Sabalenka said, via Tennis Majors.
Sabalenka on claims that she supports Lukashenko
Over the last year, Sabalenka was accused numerous times by Ukrainian players that she was a Lukashenko regime supporter. In the past, Sabalenka met with Lukashenko and she received praise from the Belarusian president following some of her biggest wins.
After beating Svitolina, Sabalenka explained why claiming that she is a Lukashenko supporter doesn’t make sense. “We played a lot of Fed Cups in Belarus. He was in our matches taking pictures with us after the match.
Nothing bad was happening that time in Belarus or in Ukraine or in Russia. And I said it many times already, I’m not supporting war. I don’t want my country to be involved in any conflict. I said it many times, and you know where I stand, you know.
You have my position. You have my answer. I answered it many times. I’m not supporting the war. And the thing that I don’t want sport to be involved in politics, because I’m just a tennis player, 25-[year]-old tennis player.
And if I would like to be political I wouldn’t be here. I don’t want to be involved in any politics. I just want to be a tennis player,” Sabalenka said. Meanwhile, Sabalenka plays against Karolina Muchova in the French Open semifinal.
