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Former Ukrainian player Alexandr Dolgopolov has criticized Aryna Sabalenka over her refusal to comment on questions about Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the war in Ukraine.
Tensions have been high in the tennis world around Aryna Sabalenka's stance on the Ukraine-Russia war. In a press conference after her second-round win at the 2023 French Open, the World No. 2 was questioned by a Ukrainian journalist about her relationship with Lukashenko.
The journalist called Lukashenko a "dictator" and pressed Sabalenka on how she once celebrated the New Year with him amid religious persecution of protestants in Belarus. Sabalenka, however, refused to engage with the journalist.
"I have no comments to you, so thank you for your question," she answered.
The journalist then asked Sabalenka to publicly condemn Belarus' role in the ongoing Russian invasion. However, Sabalenka responded in a similar way.
"I've got no comments to you," Sabalenka said.
The tense interaction prompted former Ukrainian tennis star Alexandr Dolgopolov to call out Sabalenka over her refusal to condemn Lukashenko, whom he called a "criminal." Dolgopolov insisted that Sabalenka's answers, or lack thereof, should clarify all the questions about her stance on the Ukraine war.
He also praised the journalist for being adamant and not backing down after Sabalenka's short answers.
"Applause to the journalist for asking the right questions and not backing down," Dolgopolov tweeted. "We had no doubts, that “against war, no war” means Ukraine shouldn’t exist, defend and no condemn at all for 2 dictators and criminals. Now everyone can see for themselves. Case closed, your welcome."
Dolgopolov also engaged with a Twitter user who suggested he was only focused on and questioning Sabalenka's intentions and not other players from Belarus and Russia like Daniil Medvedev.
In response, Dolgopolov said that he hopes every Belarusian and Russian player in every sport is asked similar questions if they want to continue playing in the Western world.
"Mistake here, I fully support these questions to be asked to each russian and belorussian athlete in any sport and other professions as well, in case they want to keep using free western world. So hopefully they will be asked their values, by journalists, visa centers and so on," Dolgopolov wrote.
Aryna Sabalenka sails into 3R at the 2023 French Open
Aryna Sabalenka, seeded No. 2 at the French Open, has entered the third round of the competition without dropping a set. The reigning Australian Open champion swept aside Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in the first round, winning the match 6-3, 6-2.
She then faced compatriot Iryna Shymanovich in the second round. The World No. 214 went toe-to-toe with Sabalenka in the first set. However, Sabalenka eventually closed out the set and went on to win the match 7-5, 6-2.
Sabalenka is one of the favorites to win the French Open and will next face Russia's Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round.
