World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus has refused to comment on the war in Ukraine and her country's involvement as a staging post for Russian troops, when asked specifically to condemn it.
Sabalenka, 25, was urged by her French Open first-round victim - Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk - to take a personal stand on the war.
"I have no comments to you, so thank you for your question," she told a news conference, before a reporter asked about her relationship with Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko and whether a potential world No.1 should be associated with him.
Sabalenka has previously met Lukashenko - Russian president Vladimir Putin's staunchest ally among its neighbours - who celebrated Sabalenka's Australian Open victory in January and insisted recently that people knew which country she hailed from, even if she was playing under a neutral flag.
"I've got no comments to you," she said. "You've got enough answers from me and I've got no comments to you."
After beating Kostyuk, Sabalenka said no Russian or Belarusian athlete supported the war.
In March 2022, tennis's governing bodies barred players from Russia and Belarus from competing under the name or flag of either country, due to the war, requiring them to play under neutral flags.
Sabalenka will take over the No.1 spot from Pole Iga Swiatek, if she wins the Grand Slam tournament at Paris.
Kostyuk refused to shake Sabalenka's hand, after losing to her 6-3 6-2 and urged her to take a stronger, more personal stand against the war.
"She never says that she personally doesn't support this war and I feel like journalists should change the questions you ask these athletes, because the war is already there," Kostyuk said.
Ironically, Sabalenka has dispatched fellow Belarusian Iryna Shymanovich 7-5 6-2 in the second round at Roland Garros.
Reuters
