2023-06-02 22:27:00
The Ukrainian tennis player rejects the handshake of her Russian opponent, saying it is out of respect for the soldiers at war
Elina Svitolina, right, and Russia’s Anna Blinkova after their third-round match on Friday, June 2. Lisi Niesner/Archyde.comUkraine’s Elina Svitolina and Russia’s Anna Blinkova after their third round match as the Umpire looks on REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent after winning a match on Friday, saying she did so out of respect for the men and women defending Ukraine from Russia’s invasion.
“I am standing for my country. I am doing everything possible to support, to give a good spirit to the men and women who are on the front lines right now, fighting for our land and for our country. So can you imagine the guy or girl right now in front looking at me and me acting like nothing’s wrong?” said Svitolina, following her three-set win over Russia’s Anna Blinkova in the third round of the French Open.
After Friday’s win, Svitolina avoided Blinkova as the two took turns shaking the chair umpire’s hand.
The Ukrainian said she would continue to reject any opponent from Russia or Belarus, Moscow’s close ally.
“What the Russian government and Russian soldiers are doing on our land is really terrible,” said Svitolina, 28. “It touches many different areas. It touches sport. It touches acting. It touches all different areas. So, we are all united Ukrainians and this is our position.”
Svitolina said that she would like to see the Russian and Belarusian players speak up and call on their countries to end the war.
The Belarusian withdraws from the media appearance: World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, did not participate in a usual post-match press conference on Friday.
In her latest media appearance on Wednesday, the Belarusian was repeatedly asked to comment on the war in Ukraine and the role of Belarus, but she repeatedly refused to do so. This continued until the moderator stopped the question line.
Sabalenka said she had not felt safe during Wednesday’s news conference.
“For my own mental health and well-being, I have decided to get out of this situation today, and the tournament has supported me in this decision,” he said in an interview published by tournament organizers.
The best Russian tennis player thinks: Last month, Daria Kasatkina, Russia’s top-ranked women’s tennis player, expressed sympathy for Ukrainian players who refuse to shake her hand after matches.
“Well, the saddest part is that the war continues,” Kasatkina said. “So, of course, the Ukrainian players have many reasons not to shake hands with us. I accept it and it is as it is. It’s a very sad situation and I understand it.”
More about Svitolina: he was born in Odessa and later moved to Kharkiv when he was 12 years old. At 16, he left Ukraine to pursue his sporting ambitions.
The unseeded Svitolina faces her next Russian opponent in the fourth round on Sunday, the ninth seed Kasatkina.
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