War in their homeland
Ukrainian tennis star attacks world number one: “She’s lying”
June 1, 2026 – 11:03 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
After her verbal attack against a French Open opponent, Oleksandra Oliynykova launched an all-out attack against Russian and Belarusian athletes. The world number one also receives criticism.
The Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Oliynykova has clearly criticized the Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka. In an interview with the “Bild” newspaper, the 25-year-old accused the superstar of a lack of protest against the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, which is supported by Belarus, and the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko.
“She is the most famous Belarusian in the world,” Oliynykova said of Sabalenka. “Someone with so many fans and influence, with so much money, does not take the slightest step to support the Ukrainians by condemning Lukashenko,” Oliynykova continued. “Belarus is an autocratic state. She will receive congratulations from him if she wins.”
Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022, Sabalenka has repeatedly had to face critical questions about her stance on the war of aggression. Shortly after the outbreak of war, the 28-year-old announced: “If I could end the war, I would.” A year later, when asked again at the French Open, she said: “I don’t support the war, which means that I don’t support Lukashenko.”
“She’s just trying to avoid the topic”
Before the war broke out, Sabalenka had been photographed in tennis matches with Lukashenko. After the manipulated presidential election in 2020 and the associated protests against ruler Lukashenko, Sabalenka also signed an open letter demanding that athletes stay out of politics. The letter contrasted with another open letter from various sports personalities calling for the election to be annulled. Therefore, Sabalenka’s signature was seen as support for Lukashenko.
Sabalenka’s statements against the war in Ukraine are therefore not enough for Oliynykova. “She’s lying! That’s my opinion,” she told Bild. With her fame, she could “do so much for Ukrainians, for peace, and support the people in her country who are for democracy and who are suffering under Lukashenko,” is Oliynykova’s accusation. “But she just says, ‘If I could end the war, I would.’ That’s absurd. She’s just trying to avoid the subject.”
