American tennis star Jessica Pegula has come to the defense of Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka after she recently skipped a presser at the French Open due to questions about the Russia and Ukraine war.

After Sabalenka won her third-round match, she decided to not show up and speak to the media, instead just speaking to a select few journalists. Pegula thought that was a very courageous move and also compared it to Naomi Osaka's situation a couple of years ago when she addressed her mental health problems.

Via Tennis World USA:

“Two years ago there was a similar issue when Naomi Osaka did not want to speak to the media to protect her mental health.

I guess the French Open is now being more empathetic about players' mental health needs surrounding press conferences. What Naomi did alerted people to the possibility of doing what Sabalenka did and for the tournament to work around it.

Aryna Sabalenka still found a way to do press, giving quotes to the Women's Tennis Association, which were then distributed to other reporters. She has been hammered with questions about the war in Ukraine and Belarus' support of Russia.

She clearly felt enough was enough. I think that's her right.”

Pegula has a point. I mean, Sabalenka has absolutely nothing to do with the war in her home country. It's simply unfair for any reporter to ask her about the matter. She is a tennis player. It's understandable why the Ukrainian journalist felt such a way, but it's not the person to attack.

Sabalenka is back in action in the French Open semifinals on Thursday against Karolina Muchova.