Aryna Sabalenka declined to do an open press following her win at Roland Garros (French Open) and Elina Svitolina was asked about it after her win.
A few days ago we saw a Ukrainian journalist question Sabalenka on her support for Belarus' president who has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He's the only leader in Europe to openly back Russia and Sabalenka wasn't very happy about being questioned about that. She clashed with the reporter and declined to do an open presser after her next match in order to avoid the same reporter who was presumably in the room.
She cited her mental health as the reason why she opted against it with the event accommodating the Belarusian picking out a handful of journalists for a 'closed' press conference. Elina Svitolina was playing at that time but she was asked during her press conference what she thought about that with the Ukranian opting against saying much. She simply finished off by adding that it's none of her business:
"Well, it's tough to say from my side, because obviously, I have been for couple of hours on the court. Haven't really seen anything from that, from her situation. It's her choice to do that. Yeah, it's tough for me to judge, and I'm just literally had no time to see what happened outside of the court. I guess like it's not my business."
She also added an explanation about why she and other players from Ukraine don't shake hands with Belarusians or Russians:
“I’m doing everything possible to give a good spirit to the men & women who are on the front lines right now. Can you imagine a guy or a girl who’s on the front line looking at me & I’m acting like nothing is happening?”
Elina Svitolina on why Ukrainians are not shaking hands: “I’m doing everything possible to give a good spirit to the men & women who are on the front lines right now. Can you imagine a guy or a girl who’s on the front line looking at me & I’m acting like nothing is happening?”
