Sabalenka 'sorry' to ball boy for on-court tantrum
ZHUHAI, China: World number 12 Aryna Sabalenka has apologised for an on-court tantrum in which she shook an empty bottle in the direction of a ball boy before tossing it on the floor.
The big-hitting Belarusian faced criticism after footage of the episode during her quarter-final defeat to Wang Qiang at the China Open in early October was shared widely on social media.
But following a winning start at the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, the 20-year-old vowed to "never do it again".
"Well, I'm so sorry," she said at her post-match press conference after beating Ashleigh Barty 6-4, 6-4.
"It was emotional and I was losing my mind and after that I saw it on Twitter and I was just like 'Oh my god, what did you mean?'. "I didn't even remember this, and I was just like 'Wow, I'm sorry for this guy'."
The controversy came ahead of a similar incident in which Spain's Fernando Verdasco ranted at a ball boy for not bringing his sweaty towel quickly enough during a semi-final defeat by Yoshihito Nishioka at the Shenzhen Open.
Footage went viral on social media and saw Verdasco heavily criticised.
Judy Murray, the former British Fed Cup captain and mother of three-time Grand Slam winner Andy, tweeted: "What about a rule that makes players get their own towels?"
At the Shanghai Masters, Roger Federer said tennis sets the standard for many sports when it comes to respectful behaviour -- and that must extend to the treatment of ball boys and girls.