It was 1-2 in the third set, and Aryna Sabalenka had a game point to make it 2-2 against Elina Svitolina at the must-win match at the WTA Finals. The Belarusian missed the ball toss while serving at such a crucial point in the match, but instead of refocusing, she was seen rolling her eyes and giving a visibly dejected look. The former World No.1 lost that game and could not win any more in her match, ending her campaign at Indian Wells. While her eyes betrayed her emotions, it was what Sabalenka said out of frustration that caught fans’ attention.
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“I want to clarify something from my recent match that has been circulating online,” said Sabalenka on her Instagram story. “My comment was not directed at Elina. I was frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering my mistakes, and I reacted emotionally in the moment. That said, I should have handled my frustration differently, and I apologise to anyone I offended. Elina played a great match, and I wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
During a crucial moment in the match, especially in the third set, Sabalenka was caught on camera swearing. When the video went viral on social media, fans lip-read her comments and concluded they were directed at her opponent, Svitolina. Sabalenka’s comments, in light of the current geopolitical tensions, which already see Svitolina taking a stance against shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian players, drew a lot of criticism toward the former World No.1.
This is not the first time that Sabalenka’s on-court behavior has been under scrutiny in recent months. Back at the US Open final against Elena Rybakina, the Belarusian was officially warned for ball abuse as she hit a ball in the crowd out of frustration in the very early stages of the first set itself. Before that, the former World No.1 was involved in an incident in which she vented her frustrations at a ball kid during her loss to Sara Bejlek at the Cincinnati Open.
Even Sabalenka’s previous match against Svitolina had some moments of drama in it. When the duo met during the Australian Open semifinal earlier this year, the former World No.1 was called for hindrance for grunting after playing her shot. The call seemed to frustrate Sabalenka, who went on to channel her emotions and convincingly defeat Svitolina that day.
There was no channeling of emotions for Sabalenka at Indian Wells. The Belarusian lost six games in the third set, even after making a strong comeback in the second set. This trend matched her pattern at the tournament, where she had lost 11 consecutive games to Mirra Andreeva in her previous match. As for Svitolina, the World No. 6 seemed to have turned the clock back to seven years ago, when she last qualified for the Tour Finals.
Elina Svitolina Turns the Clock Back at the WTA Finals
Qualifying for the WTA Finals was a significant moment for Svitolina, as the Ukrainian was making her comeback to the year-ending event after seven years, having last played it in 2019. However, given the recent developments in her private life, which have seen her split from her husband, Gael Monfils, this has drawn a lot of attention and scrutiny, leading to doubts about her form heading into Indian Wells.
Even after losing the first match to Mirra Andreeva, Svitolina regrouped brilliantly, winning her next two matches against Karolina Muchova and Sabalenka. But her most impressive performance came in the semifinal, where she lost only three games against Linda Noskova, the reigning Wimbledon champion. The Ukrainian was dominant throughout the match, dropping her serve once while breaking her opponent five times. She won over 60% of the total points in the match, underscoring her excellence.
Svitolina will now gear up for a rematch with Andreeva in the final. The head-to-head is 2-1 in favor of the Russian, with both her wins coming at Indian Wells. However, the Ukrainian player will have history on her side, having won the Tour Finals back in 2018, something she will surely take confidence from ahead of the final Tour-level match of the 2026 season.