via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Tennis – Women’s Singles – Round 2 – Ariake Tennis Park – Tokyo, Japan – July 26, 2021. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus walks off after losing her second round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia REUTERS/Mike Segar
via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Tennis – Women’s Singles – Round 2 – Ariake Tennis Park – Tokyo, Japan – July 26, 2021. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus walks off after losing her second round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia REUTERS/Mike Segar
The WTA World No.2, Aryna Sabalenka is having a wonderful time in the French Open 2023. Her run to the quarter-finals has been a dominant one as she barely broke a sweat, apart from her fourth-round match against American star Sloane Stephens. Considering her amazing form, her fans have high hopes for her and are rooting thoroughly for the tennis star. However, more than her performance on the court, she has been in the limelight for continuously avoiding post-match media conferences.
Her reason for not participating in such conversations with the media is her mental well-being. She mentioned in her ‘selective interview’ that she did not feel safe during the normal press conferences and wants to have an interview only with selective representatives which does not include BBC as well. Just recently, she again decided to ditch the conference after her fourth round and not everyone is taking this well.
Aryna Sabalenka decided to ditch her presser again to safeguard her mental health
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The Belarusian tennis player has locked herself in a tight spot by ditching one presser after the other. Tennis fans look forward to such conferences and they want to hear from their favorite players. But Aryna is clearly not in the zone to face the media. The reason why she has been avoiding such interactions is that she does not feel safe answering questions related to the Russia-Ukraine war, especially Belarus’ part in it.
So any questions that pop up from the media related to this make her feel uncomfortable. That is why she decided to not attend any presser after her match. In fact, Iga Swiatek’s post-match conference was also interrupted due to a question related to Sabalenka. She was asked about why Aryna has been avoiding pressers. Iga responded, “I heard that she did not attend the conference. But I do not know what the reason was. I heard she didn’t feel comfortable…”.
Press announcement from #RolandGarros: "Aryna Sabalenka will not be doing a general press conference tonight. An interview with a WTA editorial reporter will be conducted shortly and transcribed and distributed."
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) June 4, 2023
Tennis fans have mixed reactions to Aryna missing the post-match conferences
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
On one hand, some of the fans have been supporting her decision to ditch the presser. But there are a set of people who really wish to hear their tennis idols at the conference. So they want Aryna to fulfill her media obligations.
Two years ago Naomi Osaka was fined $15.000, threatened to be defaulted from Roland-Garros and face harsher penalties if she would not fulfill her media obligations.
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) June 4, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
It is also because another player, Naomi Osaka, faced severe repercussions when she did not attend a presser in 2021. She was fined $15.000 and was also threatened to be defaulted at Roland Garros for not fulfilling media obligations. What is your take on Aryna’s action?
