Tennis-Belarusian Sabalenka refuses to comment on Ukraine war

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 31, 2023 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates after winning her second round match against Belarus' Iryna Shymanovich REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

PARIS (Reuters) - World number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus refused on Wednesday to comment on the war in Ukraine and her country's involvement as a staging post for Russian troops, when asked specifically to condemn it.

The 25-year-old had been urged on Sunday by her French Open first-round opponent, Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, to take a personal stand on the war.