An inappropriate remark about Aryna Sabalenka’s appearance during the television broadcast of the WTA Finals sparked a wave of outrage among tennis fans. The incident also prompted an official statement from the management of French television channel beIN Sports.
“Look, look... she looks awful,” was heard on air as the world No. 2 appeared on screen. The comment was made when the broadcast resumed after a commercial break, while viewers were watching a video showing the tournament participants. In the footage, Sabalenka was wearing the outfit from the official photo shoot for the event.
According to French outlet Sports.fr, the words were spoken by Mathieu Sollier, who was supposed to commentate on the match. It is assumed that he did not realize his microphone was still on.
The incident quickly triggered a strong reaction on social media. Many users described the behavior as unprofessional and called for sanctions against the commentator. Among the demands were his dismissal and a ban from attending tennis tournaments. Other fans called on Sabalenka to end her media commitments with the broadcaster, while some of those outraged also contacted French media regulator Arcom.
Florent Uzo, director of channels, programming and editorial content at beIN Sports France, also addressed the matter. In a post on the social network X, he expressed regret over what had happened and stressed that such statements do not reflect the media outlet’s principles.
“These comments do not reflect the values of beIN SPORTS. I reaffirm our commitment to treating all athletes and participants in our broadcasts with respect,” Uzo said.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka began her WTA Finals campaign with a victory over Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova. The Belarusian won 7:6(2), 7:5 after 1 hour and 53 minutes of play, taking a successful first step toward winning her first title at the tournament.