Aryna Sabalenka and her agent apologized via text message after a heated press conference exchange, the reporter involved has claimed.Sabalenka was involved in a heated moment after her US Open second round win over Polina Iatcenko when she took issue with a question from Matthew Futterman of the New York Times-owned website, The Athletic. Futterman asked the Belarusian about her sponsor obligations in the run-up to the tournament. She was spotted at a host of events in New York including for Gucci and luxury jewelry store Material Good.’How are you finding your mood now that the tournament has started?’ asked Futterman. ‘Obviously last week it’s lots of parties and fun and stuff like that.’But Sabalenka groaned in response, responding: ‘You guys are like a joke. Parties? Fun? Why would you even say that? ‘Why would you even think about that? Like, what kind of question is that? Just because I posted some activities with brands and you think that I’ve been partying?’ Aryna Sabalenka had a spiky exchange in her most recent US Open press conference Matt Futterman says he received a text apologizing from Sabalenka and her agentFutterman quickly clarified: ‘For everyone who is unclear, I’m not suggesting that Aryna is having fun at these parties. I’m saying that she makes a lot of appearances and there’s a lot to do and lots of events, okay?’.But Sabalenka insisted he ‘move on’, then finally answered the question: ‘Oh, yeah, I wasn’t serious before that. Next question.’As the next reporter began their question, she fired one last dig at Futterman, saying: ‘Think before you say stuff.’The incident has sparked a massive debate, but Futterman has responded to a fan on social media who claimed he was ‘cooked’ by Sabalenka in a reply to his article about her bid for a third straight US Open title.’She and her agent actually texted me to apologize, which I appreciated,’ Futterman claimed. Sabalenka had already had one spiky exchange over her off-court commitments after her first-round match. ‘What is the question there?’, she interjected during a question about balancing her energy with off-court commitments and practice. She questioned: ‘Why do you think that the week before wasn’t focused on tennis? Sabalenka was playing her second round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night Sabalenka progressed against Polina Iatcenko to keep her three-peat bid alive in New York’It’s like my hobby outside of tennis, the whole schedule we plan is all around tennis, so all of those events is not drawing me in any way. ‘And all people that I work, all brands that I work with, I choose them very carefully. I have to be really comfortable around those people just so in that case I’m not drawing my energy when I’m surrounded by them. So I’m really enjoying my time with my brands, with people who works there.’I have fun. It’s like my hobby outside of my tennis schedule, and it actually gives me so much energy.’Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams 12 years ago to win three straight US Open women’s singles titles. She is back in action on Friday against Kamilla Rakhimova.