MIAMI – Belarus’ world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka has said that she has faced “hate” in the women’s tour locker room but is hoping that tensions with Ukrainian players will eventually ease.

The Australian Open champion lost to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in last Sunday’s Indian Wells final and at Tuesday’s media day for this week’s ATP-WTA Miami Open she was asked about her recent comments on “tensions” in the locker room between Ukrainian, and Russian and Belarus players.

“It was really, really tough for me because I’ve never faced that much hate in the locker room,” said Sabalenka. “Of course, there are a lot of haters on Instagram when you’re losing the matches, but like in the locker room, I’ve never faced that.

“It was really tough for me to understand that there’s so many people who really hate me for no reason, like no reason. I mean, like I did nothing.”

The 24-year-old added that sometimes the tension had gone beyond awkward silences and abrupt conversations.

“I had some... not like fights, but I had some weird conversations with, not the girls, but with members of their team. It was really tough. It was tough period. But now it’s getting better,” she said.

In comments at Indian Wells, she had said she had been in a dispute with Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko’s coach Nikita Vlasov.

Tsurenko was due to play Sabalenka at Indian Wells but withdrew before their match. The Ukrainian said she had a “panic attack” and had also been upset after a conversation with WTA chief executive officer Steve Simon about the war and the position of Russian and Belarusian players.

Sabalenka said she had found it hard to deal with the locker-room atmosphere initially.

“I was really struggling with that because I really felt bad, like I did something and it’s still not so good in the locker room with some of the Ukrainian girls,” she said.

“But then I realised that it’s not my fault and I did nothing bad to them. And I’m pretty sure that the rest of the Russian and Belarusian athletes did nothing to Ukrainians.

“I just realised that this is all emotions and I just need to like ignore it and focus on myself with understanding that I did nothing bad. And I cannot control emotions of others.

“It seems like, everyone’s just ignoring each other.

“Not everyone actually, I’m still talking to some of the Ukrainians, but there are some... who are like really aggressive against us. So I’m just staying away from that.”

Poland’s world No. 1 Iga Swiatek has criticised the WTA for not doing enough to support Ukrainian players, saying that “everything we discuss in tennis is about Belarusian and Russian players”.

Another Belarusian player, two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, said she disagreed with that view.

“Obviously, there are certain players that have different feelings and behaviours. Overall, I don’t necessarily share the same opinion as Iga does. I would encourage her to look at the things that have been done before she makes comments,” said Azarenka, who is a member of the WTA Players Council.

“Obviously, as a player council (member), I am happy to provide all those facts that have been done. And I think that would be a more appropriate way to have that conversation.”

Russian and Belarusian players were barred from Wimbledon in 2022 by the British organisers but Sabalenka said she is hoping for a change of heart for the 2023 tournament.

“I was really sad about the decision (last year), but I cannot control their decision. And I just really hope that they will let us play this year,” she said. AFP