Aryna Sabalenka talks about the WTA Finals controversy and publicly apologizes to Elina Svitolina.
Aryna Sabalenka’s season took a tough turn after she lost to Elina Svitolina in the group stage of the WTA Finals, and she’s now spoken out about some comments she made during that match.
For the first time in four years, Sabalenka is no longer in the top two rankings. She lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to Svitolina on Friday in her third time at the season-ending event.
The 28-year-old got emotional again at Indian Wells and was outplayed in three sets by Svitolina, who will face Wimbledon champ Linda Noskova in the semi-finals.
Throughout the year, Sabalenka’s anger has sometimes gotten the better of her on court, and this match was no different. At one point, she lost track of the ball and looked frustrated when it landed far from her.
Later, she was clearly upset and shouted towards her team after losing an important point. Some people watching tried to read her lips and claimed she made comments about Ukrainians, but this wasn’t confirmed.
Sabalenka later posted on social media to clear things up. She said her comment wasn’t aimed at Svitolina and apologized if anyone was hurt. She explained she was just upset with some fans who were loudly cheering when she made mistakes.
“I want to clarify something from my recent match that has been spreading online,” Sabalenka wrote on Instagram. “My comment was not about Elina. I was frustrated with some spectators who were aggressively cheering my errors. I reacted emotionally, but I should have handled it better. I’m sorry if I offended anyone. Elina played a great match, and I wish her the best.”
This isn’t the first time Sabalenka has faced controversy this season. At the US Open in September, she lost almost $7,500 in fines after smashing her racket and swearing at the umpire following a loss to Elina Rybakina.
By then, Sabalenka had already lost her number one spot to Rybakina and was clearly frustrated.
Rick Macci, Serena Williams’ former coach, has been watching Sabalenka this season. Back in August, he said she was “competing against herself.” After her recent loss, he shared his thoughts on X, saying her biggest strength—her mental toughness—has become a weak point.
“Sabalenka’s career is on a slippery slope. Her confidence goes up and down, but she still has great power,” Macci wrote. “She’s a strong competitor, but now she seems to give up on herself too often. With limited ways to adjust her game, we’ll see what happens next for her in 2027.”
While Sabalenka’s year hasn’t been all bad—she reached two Grand Slam finals (Australian Open and US Open) and won big titles at Indian Wells and Miami—her frustration shows how disappointed she feels about how 2026 has gone.