Australian Open 2026: Belarus' Sabalenka shuts down 'political talks' after Ukrainian's call for ban
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Australian Open 2026: Belarus' Sabalenka shuts down 'political talks' after Ukrainian's call for ban")
Belarus' Sabalenka shuts down 'political talks' after Ukrainian's call for ban Photograph: (X)
Oliynykova's t-shirt at the post-match presser read, ‘I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children, but I can’t talk about it here.’
World number one from Belarus, Aryna Sabalenka, on Wednesday (Jan 21) said she ‘didn’t want to talk politics’ after Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova, now ousted from the ongoing Australian Open 2026, called for Belarusian and Russian players to be banned from tennis. Oliynykova, 25, whose soldier father is on duty, fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine, said on Tuesday that the presence of players from those two countries was ‘very wrong’ while the Ukraine-Russia conflict continues.
After losing to the defending champion Madison Keys on her Grand Slam debut (in the first round), Oliynykova attended the post-match presser wearing a T-shirt, which read, ‘I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children, but I can’t talk about it here.’
Although under Grand Slam tournament guidelines, all players are not allowed to make political statements at competition venues, in an interview with Melbourne's newspaper, The Age, Oliynykova spoke against Russian and Belarusian players competing under a neutral white flag.
"I think it's very wrong that they are not disqualified in tennis like in other sports," she said. "Because I know that here is the picture that we are, like all tennis girls playing, but the people don't see the things behind it."
Meanwhile, Sabalenka, who previously said that she believes sport "is nothing to do with politics," reiterated her position on Wednesday, after her second-round match.
"I have spoken a lot about that before, obviously," Sabalenka said after beating China’s Z. Bai in straight sets (6-3, 6-1). "I want peace, and if I could change anything, I would definitely do that. "Other than that, I have nothing else to say."
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Pressed on Oliynykova's call for her to be banned, she replied: "I'm here for tennis. It's a tennis event. I have said enough in the past and just don't want to talk politics here."
Belarus is a close ally of Russia, led by Vladimir Putin.
Oliynykova said she did not speak with Russian and Belarusian players in the locker rooms or on the practice courts.
"I don't communicate with them. But, you know, people are not informed about this, and if I need to say it, I will, because I feel (it is) unfair."
(With inputs from AFP)
