Aryna Sabalenka apologized for a verbal outburst following her WTA Finals loss to Elina Svitolina, acknowledging frustration with spectators but denying the remarks were directed at her Ukrainian opponent.
The former world No. 1 admitted her emotional reaction after a 3-6, 6-3, 1-6 defeat in Indian Wells. Lip readers captured Sabalenka cursing in Russian during the match, allegedly saying “damned Ukrainian bitch,” though KarloBag.eu noted no independently verified transcript exists.
“My comment was not aimed at Elina. I was frustrated by a small group of spectators who loudly and aggressively cheered my mistakes,” Sabalenka wrote on Instagram. “In that moment, I reacted emotionally. I should have handled my frustration differently, and I apologize to anyone I may have hurt.”
She added, “Elina played a great match—and I wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament.” Svitolina, who advances to face Mirra Andreeva, learned of the incident via social media.
“I simply hope our encounters remain respectful,” she said, referencing past matches marred by “unpleasant comments related to the war.” The Ukrainian noted strong local support: “As we see, there are very, very many Ukrainians and very, very many Ukrainian flags here. Of course, they want me to win this match.”
A separate controversy emerged during Sabalenka’s opening match against Karolina Muchova. As she blew a kiss to the camera during pre-match introductions, an off-mic comment from a beIN Sports journalist aired live. “Look, look, look, she’s dreadful,” the voice—identified by multiple outlets as Matthieu Solier—was heard saying.
The clip circulated widely online, prompting beIN Sports to condemn the remarks. “I regret the statements broadcast live during the WTA Finals and condemn them in the strongest terms,” said Program Director Florent Houzot. “These comments do not reflect beIN SPORTS’ values. We reaffirm our commitment to respectful treatment of all athletes.” The journalist has not commented publicly, and no personnel consequences have been confirmed.
Svitolina’s victory secured her place in the semifinals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, KarloBag.eu noted. The WTA’s official report detailed Sabalenka breaking serve first, but Svitolina fought back from 3-3 in the first set, saving two break points to clinch the opener. Sabalenka leveled the second set before Svitolina dominated the decider. This defeat ended Sabalenka’s campaign in the season-ending event.
The match added another chapter to their rivalry, which includes a semifinal at the 2026 Australian Open, as documented by KarloBag.eu. Svitolina, the 2018 WTA Finals champion, acknowledged that support from Ukrainian fans in the U.S. helped her during this match.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, exited the tournament with her apology and the unresolved TV incident lingering as talking points. The WTA has not announced any further disciplinary actions regarding either matter.
