Sabalenka apologises for her outburst in the Svitolina defeat at the WTA Finals, saying her comment was not directed at Elina
Aryna Sabalenka apologised on Saturday after footage of her swearing during her 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 defeat to Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells was widely shared online, with some viewers saying they lip-read an insult aimed at Svitolina or at Ukrainians. Sabalenka said her comment was aimed at a small group of spectators who were cheering her mistakes, not at her opponent. The exact words in the clip have not been independently verified.
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Key points
- Svitolina beat Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Friday to reach the WTA Finals semi-finals and knock Sabalenka out.
- Sabalenka has apologised, saying her comment was aimed at spectators cheering her mistakes, not at Svitolina.
- The clip's sound is inaudible; the lip-read interpretations of her words differ and have not been independently verified.
Watch: the moment itself
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Video: WTA · Watch on YouTube
What happened
The match was the pair's final group match at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells: Svitolina's win sent her into a semi-final against Linda Noskova, while Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, went out of the tournament.
Svitolina, who is Ukrainian, has not shaken hands with Russian or Belarusian players since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and did not shake hands after this match either — the background against which the clip was read so closely online.
Both sides, in their own words
Both sides heard. Neither believed for free. Publishing a side's version is not endorsing it — the claim checks below are where verdicts live.
Side A · Sabalenka's account
- Her comment was not directed at Elina Svitolina; she was frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering her mistakes, and she apologises to anyone she offended.
Side B · Online interpreters and critics
- Some viewers say they lip-read an insult in Russian aimed at Svitolina or at Ukrainians; Belarusian opposition politician Pavel Latushka called the behaviour absolutely unacceptable and demanded she be suspended from WTA tournaments.
Independently verified
3 claims independently verified — listed in the claim-by-claim check below.Not yet verified
Nothing outstanding.What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- That Svitolina won 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and reached the semi-finals, and that Sabalenka is out.
- That Sabalenka apologised on Saturday and said her comment was aimed at spectators, not at Svitolina.
What we don't know yet
- Sabalenka's exact words — the clip's sound is inaudible and the lip-read interpretations differ.
- Whether the WTA will comment on or act over the incident.
- Whether Svitolina will respond to the apology.
Claim by claim
Show all claims (4)
Why this label: The score and its consequences are reported the same way by all three; Svitolina goes on to face Linda Noskova in the semi-finals.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: Sabalenka's own words, quoted the same way by both reports.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The interpretations could not be independently verified, and Sabalenka disputes that the comment was aimed at her opponent; the exact words are carried as disputed, never as fact.
On the ladder: credible sources conflict, so we show both workings. One side's own statement is that side's position — never proof.
Why this label: Latushka's call is his own on-record position; whether the WTA acts on it is a separate question, carried in the don't-know list.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why it matters
A season-ending tournament exit has become a dispute about what a player said in a language many viewers do not speak, judged from an inaudible clip — with a suspension demand already made and the WTA yet to say anything.
Background
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Svitolina stops shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian players, a policy she still follows.
Svitolina beats Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in their WTA Finals group match in Indian Wells; a clip of Sabalenka swearing during the match spreads online.
Sabalenka posts her apology, saying the comment was not directed at Elina; Latushka demands she be suspended.
Update history
No silent edits. Every change is written here, with its time.
- Latest
Published in Checking state — the result and the apology are confirmed, and what Sabalenka actually said is labelled disputed while checking continues.