"You better die and I wish all your family will die with cancer": Sabalenka wanted to quit tennis amid backlash from Russia-Ukraine war

Aryna Sabalenka got to a point last year where she wanted to quit tennis due to all the backlash she got as a player from Belarus during the Russia - Ukraine war.

The country is an open supporter of Russia which is expected considering that the countries have been very close allies for a very long time. It's not something Sabalenka has any impact on it, but she's felt the backlash from simply being Belarusian. Speaking about it during the second part of the first season of Break Point, Sabalenka said:

"I’m from Belarus so I felt really bad. It’s tough. It’s really tough what they’re dealing with. If I could have any control of it, then of course, I would do everything I can to stop everything. Everyone started talking about, ‘You have to ban all the players from Russia and Belarus’ and I thought that everyone is looking weird to me, you know? I felt like everyone hates me because of my country.”

The abuse Sabalenka has received has been severe with messages like: ‘‘You better die and I wish all your family will die with cancer.’

In one of the scenes Sabalenka can be heard telling her team:

"Don’t tell me not to worry. Now everyone is watching me f***ing losing it. I just don’t want to play tennis anymore. End of. It’s all telling me I should quit."

She managed to endure all of it and return this year with a newfound level that allowed her to win her maiden grand slam trophy ealier this year at the Australian Open. She's been one of the best players this year and will be among the favourites to win Wimbledon as she made a semi-final a few years ago. Last year Sabalenka didn't play due to the ban on Russian and Belarussian players.