CNN
–
World number 2 Arina Sabalenka He did not attend the traditional post-match press conference after the win in the third round. French Open on Friday, saying she did not feel safe attending a press conference earlier this week.
After winning the second round of the tournament on Wednesday Belarus She was repeatedly asked at press conferences to comment on the war in Ukraine and the role of Belarus, but she repeatedly refused to do so. This continued until the moderator stopped the questioning.
“After my match I spoke to the media as I usually do,” Sabalenka said on Friday. “I know they still expect some questions that are more about politics and not so much about my tennis.
“For months now I have answered these questions at tournaments and have been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts.
“These questions don’t bother me after my matches. I know I have to answer to the media about things that are not related to my tennis or my matches, but I did not feel safe in the press conference on Wednesday.
“I need to feel safe when I do interviews with journalists after my matches. For my own mental health and well-being, I have decided to remove myself from this situation today and the tournament supports me in that decision. is given
“It hasn’t been an easy few days, and now I’m focused on playing well here in Paris.”
Instead of holding a press conference on Friday, Sabalenka’s comments came from an interview released by tournament organizers at Roland Garros in Paris, according to Reuters. Generally, press conferences are required by the players.
Reuters also reported that French Open organizers said they wanted to “protect” Sabalenka and that it would be up to them to decide whether she would attend other post-match press conferences.
CNN has reached out to the French Tennis Federation, organizers of the French Open, for comment.
In 2021, Naomi Osaka The Japanese national drew headlines and controversy when she announced she would not attend press conferences during the French Open, citing her mental health. She later withdrew before her second round match during the tournament.
Sabalenka has already fielded some tough questions in press conferences at Roland Garros, including from a reporter who accused her of “spinning it like Ukrainians hate you” and asking her to condemn the war. Avoid, Belarus is being used as a key. The arena for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Sabalenka said in March that she was struggling to understand the “hate” in the locker room amid strained relations between some players following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“About the war situation, I said many times, no one in this world – Russian athletes, Belarusian athletes – supports war. No one. How can we support war? Ordinary people will never do this. will not support,” he said.
Russian and Belarusian players currently compete on tours as neutral players without revealing their flag or country.