Aryna Sabalenka dislodged Iga Swiatek from the World No. 1 position at the back end of last year. The Belarusian’s rise to the top was anchored by her Grand Slam victories at the Australian Open and the US Open.

Around the time when Sabalenka triumphed in New York, Swiatek was on a completely opposite trajectory. The Pole had tested positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition anti-doping test.

While she was later found at “no significant fault” by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and let off with a one-month suspension, the backlash was significant. Sabalenka has now spoken about the issue for the first time in an interview with The Age.

While emphasizing on her commitment to “clean sport”, the World No. 1 conceded that people on the outside are quick to make judgment in such cases without ever knowing the actual facts. Sabalenka said she chooses to trust the process and if the ITIA panel found Swiatek not at fault, she would take their word for it.

“Whatever happened to her, I believe in a clean sport,” Aryna Sabalenka said. “People always overreact when they see something without trying to figure what actually happened and understand the player.”

“They’re always going to find things to judge someone successful. So, I prefer to believe that there is a clean sport and she’s innocent. If they prove that, it means that she is innocent,” she added.

“I focused on myself” – Aryna Sabalenka on not paying too much attention to Iga Swiatek doping row

Aryna Sabalenka also opened up about the way she dealt with Iga Swiatek’s news when it first broke, saying she chose to maintain her distance and focus on herself.

The Belarusian said the episode did not have anything to do with her or her rise to the top of the rankings. She noted that her rise was in fact a result of sustaining her level over a prolonged period of time.

“Nobody knew what was going on … so, honestly, I have no comments on that situation,” Aryna Sabalenka said.

“I focused on myself and improving as a player, and it’s not like I became No. 1 in just that period. The whole year, I was working hard, and winning a lot of tournaments and putting her under pressure, so she had to stay on the high level to keep her position,” she added.

On the professional front, Sabalenka has made a strong start to 2025. She lifted the title at the season-opening Brisbane International, defeating Polina Kudermetova in the summit clash.