Aryna Sabalenka, currently ranked no. 2 in the world, has emerged as one of the most promising and talented players on the WTA Tour. The 25-year-old has achieved considerable success in her relatively short career, including multiple singles and doubles titles. However, she recently shared a confrontation she had with the coach under the challenging circumstances that she and other athletes from the region faced as the crisis in Ukraine unfolded.

She was approached by a coach of a Ukrainian player and confronted ruthlessly because of the Russia-Ukraine war right after a match. The way the conflict has affected the tennis world, or any sport for that matter, has put a lot of pressure on athletes.

Aryna Sabalenka shares how a coach of a Ukrainian player made her cry

Aryna Sabalenka will soon be playing at the Wimbledon Championships. Even though Belarusian and Ukrainian players were banned from playing in the 2022 edition, this year is going to be different as players from both countries can play at Wimbledon. However, right before the matches start. Aryna Sabalenka spoke in an interview with the Express UK, about how she was once verbally abused by a coach of a Ukrainian player.

She said, “One day, a coach of a Ukrainian player told me, ‘I’m glad you lost’. I went to the WTA office. I cried like a baby, unable to speak. He followed me and shouted that I was throwing the bombs… We don’t support war. So what do you expect from us? That we shout ‘no war’?”

This incident happened in March when she had to play against the Ukrainian player, Lesia Tsurenko, at Indian Wells in the third round. But she had a panic attack and dropped out. And after the match, her coach, Nikita Vlasov, cornered Aryna.

Read More: Belarusian Star Aryna Sabalenka’s Bold French Open Decision. Has a Ripple Effect on Iga Swiatek as Bizarre Scenes Unfold at Roland Garros

Ahead of Wimbledon, Aryna shares how she felt pressurized due to the incident with the coach

Whatever went down between the coach and Aryna, she stated in the interview that the incident made her feel worse. She mentioned that she also went through hell and the more she talked about it, the worse she felt. And it was best if she stopped talking about it. She also expressed how she felt that Tsurenko withdrew from the match not only because of a panic attack, but also because of a political situation.

Further, she explained that this incident put a lot of pressure on her. And it was a really tough situation for her because of the way the coach acted towards her.

Watch Story: Days After Unexpected Attention From Serena Williams, Bizarre Sexist Question Puts Tennis Star Aryna Sabalenka on the Spot at Italian Open 2023