Aryna Sabakenka claimed people are “used to overreacting” when answering questions about chief rival Iga Swiatek’s doping offence.
World No. 2 Swiatek recently completed a one-month suspension after testing positive for banned substance TMZ back in August 2024.
The Pole was found “not substantially at fault” for the breach, after claiming her melatonin medication had been accidentally contaminated with TMZ prior to use.
Swiatek was provisionally suspended for three weeks from September 12 to October 4, when she missed three WTA tournaments – including the WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan.
Her absence from these events proved to be a factor as to why Sabalenkathe reigning Australian and US Open champion, knocked the Pole off the top of the WTA rankings in October.
Sabalenka finished 2024 as the year-end No. 1 and has begun her 2025 preseason playing the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi, where Swiatek is also in action.
To talk to The national at the tournament, three-time major winner Sabalenka declined to comment too much on the case but said people often overreacted before they “figured things out.
She said: “People are really used to overreacting before they figure things out, so I don’t want to leave any comments. I believe in pure sport and nothing else I can add.”
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World No 1 Sabalenka posted a photo of Swiatek and herself on her Instagram Story on Sunday, following a training session between the two at the venue.
“Good training with @iga.swiatek,” the 26-year-old wrote.
Swiatek and Sabalenka have met 12 times on the WTA tour, with the former holding an 8-4 advantage in their head-to-head.
The pair have yet to meet in a Grand Slam singles final but their rivalry has been pivotal in recent seasons, with the duo the most successful WTA singles players of recent seasons.
In 2024, it was five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek who won when they met in the Madrid and Rome finals, although Sabalenka turned the tables in the last four of the Cincinnati Open.
Sabalenka and Swiatek have not met since the Cincinnati Open but will meet in the final at the Australian Open.
Belarus Sabalenka will be the top seed and hopes to become the first woman since Martina Hingis to win three straight titles Down Under, while Swiatek will be looking for her first title in Melbourne.
The pair will not meet on official tour until then, with the two opting to play different warm-up events in the run-up to the first Slam event in 2025.
Sabalenka will be the top seed at the Brisbane International, while Swiatek will be in United Cup action for Poland.
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