Aryna Sabalenka hits back after her Australian Open opponent called for her to be BANNED from tennis

Aryna Sabalenka has hit back at claims that Russian and Belarusian players should not be competing on the professional tennis circuit due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating: ‘Obviously I want peace’.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian star Oleksandra Oliynykova called on the WTA Tour, ATP Tour and the Grand Slam championships to ban the world No 1 and other Belarusian and Russian players.

‘It is very wrong that they are not disqualified in tennis like in other sports,’ Oliynykova told The Age, after she suffered a 6-7(6-8), 1-6 defeat by Australian Open defending champion Madison Keys at Rod Laver Arena.

Elina Svitolina later backed her compatriot to use her voice to raise awareness of the ongoing conflict.

Sabalenka has previously denounced the war in Ukraine. In 2023, the world No 1 insisted that she did not support the conflict or Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

After securing her spot in the third round of the women’s singles on Wednesday, Sabalenka reaffirmed her stance.

‘Well, I’ve spoken a lot about that before. Obviously, I want peace,’ the Belarusian said.

‘If I could change anything, I would definitely do that.

‘Other than that, I have nothing else to say.’

Sabalenka, who bested Chinese qualifier Zhuoxuan Bai 6-3, 6-1 earlier in the day, was again pressed on the matter.

‘Listen, I am here for tennis, it is a tennis event,’ she responded bluntly.

‘I’ve said it enough in the past, I just don’t want to talk politics here.’

Sabalenka came into the Australian Open having claimed her second successive title at the Brisbane International two weeks ago. She beat Ukrainian star Marta Kostyuk in the final of the tournament.

However, a frosty exchange unfolded between the pair during the trophy presentation, after Kostyuk refused to acknowledge Sabalenka. 

Belarus has been an active supporter in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Kostyuk going on to use her platform to speak about the ongoing conflict. 

Oliynykova followed suit on Tuesday during her Australian Open debut. She first turned heads by stepping onto the court with a floral arrangement painted on her face before taking world No 9, Keys, to a first-set tiebreak.

The world No 92 later sat down for her post-match press conference wearing a T-shirt that had the words ‘I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here,’ printed on it.

Players competing at the Slams are prohibited from making political statements while appearing at competition venues.

Prior to leaving her home in Kyiv for the first Grand Slam of the year, she shockingly revealed that she had felt her apartment shaking after a drone strike had caused an explosion at a property across the road from hers.

‘My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion,’ she said.

February will mark four years since Russia invaded Ukraine and Oliynykova added that she feared people were ‘losing attention after so many years’.

‘It’s very wrong that they are not disqualified in tennis like in other sports,’ Oliynykova told The Age after the presser.

‘I know that here is the picture that we are all tennis girls playing, but the people don’t see the things behind it.

‘The people with money and power, they are using this to support aggression against my country.

‘They are the reason, the people who have the power to speak up. They are not doing this.’

Born and raised in Kyiv, Oliynykova shed light on her upbringing and her family. The world No 92, who lives and trains in the Ukrainian capital, added that her father Denis is currently serving on the frontline in the Ukrainian army.

She revealed that he had texted her after the match to tell her that she had ‘made his dream come true’.

‘He is my biggest supporter and has been since childhood,’ Oliynykova said.

‘I’m so proud of him and that’s something that’s keeping me motivated even more.

‘After he joined the military, I have improved my ranking by over 200 places.

‘I know it was his dream to see me on this court and I would do everything to make him proud.’

The Embassy of Ukraine in Australia and New Zealand later praised Oliynykova for speaking out on the conflict, before also claiming Russian and Belarusian players should not be able to compete at the Slams.

‘Many thanks to Oleksandra Oliynykova for using her voice at AO to make an important statement.

‘Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be allowed to compete in reputable international competitions while Russia continues to kill Ukrainians and leave them freezing to death.’

While she may have suffered defeat at Melbourne Park, Oliynykova insisted that she was motivated to continue bringing attention to her country’s plight.

‘Every competition is important, every opportunity to say something about Ukraine. Because it’s said, because this war is very long, and I think people are losing attention after so many years.

‘But now in Ukraine, we don’t have electricity. In my apartment, I have no electricity, no water, no heat. That’s what’s going on. Every opportunity to speak about this, I believe it’s very important.’

Svitolina echoed her comments in the wake of her second-round victory against Polish star Linda Klimovicova.

‘The war has been ongoing for four years and we’ve talked about it many, many times,’ Svitolina said.

‘For me, now it’s gone, the topic. 

‘The stance has been taken already. Decisions have been made by the WTA and ATP [Tours].

‘Right now, what we can do is go out there, try to perform well, try to represent our country in the right way and use our voices to bring the attention, to bring the help and to not forget that we can use our voices to bring the help, to bring the attention to our home.’