Sabalenka Apologises After Viral Clip Appears to Show Her Swearing During Svitolina Defeat

Aryna Sabalenka apologised on Saturday after a clip from her WTA Finals defeat by Elina Svitolina went viral, appearing to show her swearing in Russian during Friday’s 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 loss in Indian Wells. Sabalenka said her words were aimed at a small group of spectators who were cheering her mistakes, not at Svitolina, and Svitolina has since answered, calling the comments “not great” and asking for respect after reaching Sunday’s final against Mirra Andreeva.

What did Sabalenka actually say?

Nobody can say for certain from the footage, and that uncertainty is the heart of the story. A Ukrainian tennis account posted the clip on Saturday with two possible lip-read readings, one aimed at Ukrainians collectively and one aimed personally at Svitolina, and the post spread fast enough that Sabalenka felt she had to respond. Tennis Now, reporting the backlash, was explicit about the limits of the evidence: it cannot vouch for the translations, and the audio is very difficult to pick up. Sabalenka’s own statement never said what words she used, only who they were not aimed at. The defeat itself ended her season, and she declined to speak to the media afterwards, which left the clip unexplained for a day while the interpretations hardened.

What did Sabalenka say in her apology?

She posted a statement on Instagram on Saturday, and the wording was careful on the one point that matters. “I want to clarify something from my recent match that has been circulating online,” she wrote. “My comment was not directed at Elina. I was frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering my mistakes, and I reacted emotionally in the moment.” She added: “That said, I should have handled my frustration differently, and I apologise to anyone I offended. Elina played a great match, and I wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament.” The apology does not concede that she said either of the alleged phrases, and it does not dispute them either. It reframes the target, from the opponent to the crowd, and leaves the exact words unaddressed.

How did Svitolina respond?

After beating Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-1 in Saturday’s semifinal, Svitolina was asked about the post and gave an answer that accepted the apology without letting the incident go. “There’s many flags and many Ukrainian supporters are here and of course they want me to win in this particular match,” she said. “I have seen the glimpse of it because obviously it’s in the social media, but yeah, I just hope the matches between us are respected. Sometimes in some matches there are not great comments towards me in regards of the war.” The context matters: Svitolina did not shake Sabalenka’s hand after the match, keeping her policy of refusing handshakes with Russian and Belarusian players because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She plays Andreeva, who beat her 6-4, 6-0 in the group stage, in Sunday’s final.

Could Sabalenka be fined?

It is possible, but nothing has been announced, and the loudest call for punishment came from a journalist rather than the tour. Jon Wertheim argued on social media that the WTA must fine Sabalenka, saying the code covers obscene or derogatory remarks made to fans, not only to officials and opponents. The WTA had made no public statement on the incident by Saturday night, and Sabalenka’s season is already over, so any fine would land after the fact rather than affect the tournament. The precedent inside the same event cuts both ways: earlier in the week, broadcaster beIN Sports apologised after one of its journalists was heard calling Sabalenka “horrible” on a live microphone, as covered in the desk’s earlier hot-mic story. Then she was the target. This time she is the one apologising.

Why does this land so heavily?

Because it is the third act of a season that kept slipping away from Sabalenka, and the war context makes every exchange between these two players carry weight beyond tennis. She won the Sunshine Double in March and has not won a title since, lost both the Australian Open and US Open finals to Elena Rybakina, and arrived in Indian Wells as the favourite before losing to Andreeva and then Svitolina. Rick Macci said this week that she has lost her on-court identity, and the clip, the apology and the silence afterwards all fit that picture of a player whose frustration keeps spilling out in public. She also goes into the offseason without a coach after her split with Max Mirnyi, so the identity question follows her into the break.

What happens next?

Sunday decides the title, and the final carries its own subplot. Svitolina, the 2018 champion, plays Andreeva at noon in a rematch of Monday’s group match, and she told reporters she will do her homework and try to execute better after the 6-4, 6-0 defeat. Andreeva has not dropped a set all week and beat Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinal that followed the other hot-mic row of the tournament. For Sabalenka, the next steps are a possible WTA decision on the incident and an offseason spent answering the questions she could not answer on court.

November 15 note: The final is decided. Mirra Andreeva beat Svitolina 7-5, 6-3 to win the WTA Finals on her debut, finishing the week 5-0 without dropping a set and becoming the first teenager to win the title since Maria Sharapova in 2004.