Aryna Sabalenka Reveals ‘Really Mean’ Comments From Ukrainian Coaches Made Her ‘Cry’

When the Russia-Ukraine war started, it caused tension between players from both sides. The war is still going on, and as a form of protest, the Ukrainian players have stopped shaking hands with those from Russia and Belarus, its ally.

Ukrainian players such as Oleksandra Oliynykova, Elina Svitolina, and Marta Kostyuk are very vocal about the war’s impact on their country. Oliynykova, who lives in Kyiv, regularly uses her Instagram to criticize Russian aggression as well as call out the players for not speaking up.

They also continue to slam the WTA for remaining mum about the whole thing. But they were also reminded that the Russian and Belarusian players are not at all responsible for the war. Aryna Sabalenka has always maintained that she doesn’t support war.

But Oliynykova accused her of liking a post praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. Recently, Sabalenka sat for an interview with TIME and revealed that mean comments from some Ukrainian coaches made her cry.

Some of the Ukrainian coaches, they would say really, really, really mean stuff to me. I don’t want to repeat it. It was so terrible. So it got to my head, and I would be hysterically crying.

But when Sabalenka was asked if she supports Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, she said, “I don’t want to talk about it.“

Sabalenka is in Cincinnati at present. She will hope to end her title drought, as she last won a title at the Miami Open. The World No.1, in fact, hasn’t reached a final since completing the Sunshine Double, and has made just one semifinal (at the Berlin Open).

Aryna Sabalenka says she doesn’t care about the rankings

Aryna Sabalenka is on the verge of losing her No.1 ranking. If Sabalenka fails to reach the final and Elena Rybakina wins the title, the former will be dethroned. But Sabalenka doesn’t care about the ranking, believing she’ll keep the target on her back.

You can look at this like you’re defending something, but to be honest, you have the target on your back. Everyone wants to beat you, but I feel it’s the same if you’re No. 1, No. 2, No. 10. It doesn’t really matter what’s the ranking anyway when you go out there on the court, everyone wants to beat you. I love having the target on my back.

Aryna Sabalenka said during her pre-tournament press conference in Cincinnati

The 28-year-old, before coming to Cincinnati, competed at the Canadian Open, where her run ended with a three-set defeat to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round. Last year in Cincinnati, she lost to Rybakina in the quarterfinals.

I like to see the young generation looking up to me and get inspired by me, but I also feel they will get inspired if I drop in the ranking a little bit. Hopefully it will never happen. As long as I focus on developing myself as a player and a person, ranking doesn’t really matter.

Aryna Sabalenka added

Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has entered the tournament as the defending champion (beat Jasmine Paolini last year). She is arriving in Cincinnati after ending her title drought at the Canadian Open by defeating Rybakina.

After Cincinnati, the US Open will kick off. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion will play as the defending champion. Last year, she defeated home favorite Amanda Anisimova. Sabalenka made the final of the New York Slam in the last three seasons, losing in 2023 (to Coco Gauff) and winning in 2024 and 2025 by defeating Jessica Pegula and Anisimova, respectively.

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