Aryna Sabalenka has explained that negative reactions cannot be curbed, but she has learned how to cope with criticism.
Sabalenka is one of the top-ranked tennis players on the WTA Tour, having won two Grand Slams so far. In the second half of last season, she was ranked World No. 1 for eight weeks.
Being a high-profile athlete tends to attract a significant level of scrutiny and exposure to the public eye. However, these players do not always receive the acclaim of everyone, especially on social media.
Sometimes, tennis players' personal conduct can be perceived as inappropriate, as Elena Rybakina recently found out following her bizarre interaction with journalists after her second-round win. Some players who speak up on unpopular topics can often generate controversy.
Following her third-round win over good friend Paula Badosa, the Belarusian told reporters that experience has been the best teacher in coping with criticism.
The World No. 2 explained that it is "impossible" to receive the acclaim of the whole world and that negative reactions will always have the loudest voices. But she is not losing sleep over the matter as she reckons that her support team overweighs the haters.
"I think it all comes with experience. Usually I would say negative people are the loudest ones, and I just try to ignore them. I understand that it's impossible make the whole world love you."
"'It's absolutely fine. I'm absolutely okay if someone doesn't like me. It's okay. I know that I have more people who support me than haters. I'm trying to shift my focus on positive thinking."
Sabalenka is through to the fourth round of Roland Garros for only the second time. She was a semifinalist last year, losing to Karolina Muchova after squandering a match point. This time, she will play USA's Emma Navarro for a right to earn a quarterfinal berth.
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