second racket in the world Arina Sobolenko (No. 2 WTA) spoke about his attitude towards the war, as well as his relationship with Ukrainian athletes.

– You can become the world’s first racket after this tournament. As a first racket you have to be a role model to many people in the world, you have already been a role model to many tennis players. And when it comes to such an important occasion – what is your message to the world? Because now the thing is you think Ukrainian players hate you and they didn’t say that – they just want to know if you are for or against the war. That’s all the Ukrainian tennis players want to hear. You avoid this question, you say that this is politics, although the missiles flying from the territory of Belarus do not choose who to hit – a politician or a tennis player.

First of all, I didn’t say they hate me. When they asked me questions, “Do you know they hate you?” So I answered the question that if they hate me then I don’t feel that way.

About the war. I’ve said this many times. No one in this world – Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes – supports the war. How can we support war? Normal people would never support this. Why should we go and talk loudly, like 1+1=2. Of course we do not support war. And if we could stop it, we would. Unfortunately, this is not in our power.

Second, my message to the world is that I am an athlete from Belarus, a small country that has worked hard to reach this level. And my message is also to tennis players from small countries who don’t have enough money – you have to work hard and believe in yourself, then they can achieve a lot.

I don’t know if I’m a role model for many people. There are those who love me, there are those who do not. I focused on people who like me and want me to be my best.

I want to show my best tennis, I want people to enjoy my tennis matches – this is my message, to bring joy to people, – said Sobolenko.

In the first round of the base at Roland Garros, Sobolenko played with Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. After the end of the match, Kostyuk did not shake hands with the representative of the Republic of Belarus, where the French major was booed by some fans in the stands of the central arena Philippe Chatrier court.