PARIS — Aryna Sabalenka skipped an open news conference after her third-round win at the French Open on Friday, saying she made the decision for her own “mental health and well-being.”
Sabalenka instead spoke to a small pool of journalists after her 6-2, 6-2 victory over Kamilla Rakhimova. Sabalenka said she did not feel safe during a news conference Wednesday, when the Belarusian player faced questions about her country’s involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“After my match [on Wednesday], I spoke with the media like I normally do. I know they still expect some questions that are more about the politics and not so much about my tennis,” Sabalenka said. “For many months now, I have answered these questions at tournaments and been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts. These questions do not bother me after my matches. I know that I have to provide answers to the media on things not related to my tennis or my matches, but on Wednesday, I did not feel safe in the press conference.”
On Wednesday, Sabalenka was asked whether she supported Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and if she would denounce the war in Ukraine. On both occasions, she answered, “I’ve got no comments to you”.
“I should be able to feel safe when I do interviews with the journalists after my matches,” Sabalenka said Friday. “For my own mental health and well-being, I have decided to take myself out of this situation today, and the tournament has supported me in this decision.
“It hasn’t been an easy few days, and now my focus is continue to play well here in Paris.”
Sabalenka previously addressed the reaction she has received from other players at tournaments this season due to the war, saying in March that she faced “hate” in the locker room “for no reason.”
She opened the French Open with a win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. After the match, Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Sabalenka, drawing boos from the crowd at Roland Garros.
Addressing the incident at her Sunday news conference, Sabalenka said: “Nobody in this world, Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes, support the war. Nobody. How can we support the war? Nobody — normal people — will never support it.”
When a portion of those comments was read to Kostyuk by a…
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