Sabalenka teams up with rapper supporting Russia-Ukraine war, drawing backlash from international fans

Belarusian tennis player and current world No.1 Sabalenka has once again found herself at the center of controversy just weeks after the Australian Open — this time due to a business move aimed at expanding her personal brand, which unexpectedly sparked a media storm.

Sabalenka confirmed a partnership with a Russian rapper who publicly endorses the invasion of Ukraine. This collaboration ignited a wave of anger among fans, as people began questioning the athlete’s moral stance amid a highly sensitive geopolitical moment.

The controversy first erupted on social media, especially on the X platform (formerly Twitter), where tennis fans quickly identified the artist and revisited his past support for the Kremlin. The criticism was intense, with many considering this a clear sign that Sabalenka is “completely out of touch” with the realities of the ongoing conflict.

One user wrote in a post that gained thousands of interactions: “It’s unbelievable that after so much discussion about athlete neutrality, Sabalenka chose to collaborate with someone who openly glorifies violence.”

Other fans went further, calling on the Women’s Tennis Association and sponsors to take a consistent stance. “You can’t claim to oppose war one day and then pose with someone who organizes patriotic concerts to fundraise for the war the next. This hypocrisy is beyond extreme,” read another widely shared comment. This business deal contradicts Sabalenka’s previous statements — she had said she does not support the Lukashenko regime nor the military actions in Ukraine.

In fact, during this year’s Australian Open semifinal, Sabalenka was involved in controversy in her match against Ukrainian player Svitolina — the Belarusian was penalized for “hindrance,” a relatively rare rule used to punish noises or actions that distract the opponent.

At the post-match press conference, Sabalenka said: “Honestly, this has never happened to me before, especially because of my shouting, which is very strange.” Although the penalty briefly disrupted her rhythm, she admitted it fueled her competitive spirit: “It really annoyed me, and that helped me win the match; I became more aggressive.”

By skipping this week’s WTA1000 Dubai tournament, Sabalenka and other players also faced criticism from the event organizers. Sabalenka stated last Friday that she was “not at 100% physically” and would not participate. Meanwhile, Swiatek cited schedule changes as her reason for withdrawing. Tournament director Salah Tahlak described the absence of the top two ranked players on tour as “strange.”

If players withdraw from mandatory WTA1000 events without valid reasons such as injury or illness, they may face penalties. Each season, players are allowed to miss up to three tournaments due to schedule adjustments; these absences result in zero points but no fines.

Tahlak told The National: “It was disappointing and surprising to hear about Alina and Iga’s withdrawals last night, and their reasons seemed a bit odd. Iga said she wasn’t mentally ready to compete, while Sabalenka mentioned some minor injuries. So I’m not quite sure. I believe there should be stricter penalties for players withdrawing, not just fines but also point deductions. I even asked the tournament doctor about Sabalenka’s injury; he said it was minor and not enough to force her out. As for Iga, I asked, ‘Isn’t this a strange decision?’”

Both Sabalenka and Swiatek have previously criticized the scheduling and the number of mandatory tournaments. They have also been penalized in the past for not meeting participation requirements but are willing to “accept” these consequences again to protect their health.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)