(Video) Elina Svitolina Slammed by Fans for Refusing to Shake Hands with Anna Kalinskaya After Qatar Open Defeat- “Drama is Overkill”

Anna Kalinskaya improved her head-to-head record over Elina Svitolina to 1-3 after their Qatar Open match.

(Video) Elina Svitolina Slammed by Fans for Refusing to Shake Hands with Anna Kalinskaya After Qatar Open Defeat- “Drama is Overkill”

Elina Svitolina (L) did not shake hands with Anna Kalinskaya (R) (Image via X/HQ Pics, Corvath Draemir)

In Short
  • Elina Svitolina was criticized by fans for refusing to shake hands with Anna Kalinskaya after her defeat at the Qatar Open.
  • Kalinskaya improved her head-to-head record against Svitolina to 3-1 with the win.
  • Svitolina's no-handshake stance stems from her position against competing with Russian and Belarusian players amid the ongoing conflict.

Elina Svitolina crashed out of the ongoing Qatar Open. After going past countrywoman Dayana Yastremska in the opening round, Svitolina suffered a straight-set defeat at the hands of Anna Kalinskaya.

The win helped Kalinskaya improve her head-to-head record over the 31-year-old to 3-1. Before this match, Kalinskaya had failed to clinch a set in the previous three matches they played against each other.

After knocking out the seventh seed, Kalinskaya fell in straight sets in the quarterfinals against Karolina Muchova. Kalinskaya made the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament for the fourth time in her career, with her best performance in this level coming at the 2024 Dubai Open, where she reached the final only to lose to two-time Grand Slam singles finalist Jasmine Paolini.

Kalinskaya was searching for her career’s first title. After losing the Dubai Open to Paolini, she lost to Jessica Pegula in the final of the 2024 Berlin Open. Last year, Leylah Fernandez denied her the win in the final of the Citi Open.

Fans slam Elina Svitolina for not shaking hands with Anna Kalinskaya

Because of the Ukrainian players’ no-handshake stance against the Russian and Belarusian players, Elina Svitolina did not shake hands with the 27-year-old, and this did not go down well with fans. Some fans pointed out Kalinskaya’s past comments against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and also the fact that she wore trainers with a “no war” message on them at the 2022 Indian Wells.

Elina Svitolina (2)
Elina Svitolina (Image via X/WTA)

Kalinskaya’s mother and grandmother are from Ukraine. As Svitolina didn’t participate in the customary handshake despite Kalinskaya’s stance on the war, fans have begun criticizing Svitolina.

Here’s the video:

Check out their reactions here:

Svitolina has four WTA 1000 tournaments to her name. The last time she won the title was at the 2018 Italian Open against Simona Halep. She has made four semifinals at this level, including in last year’s Madrid Open.

Elina Svitolina on how she deals with burnout

Svitolina is juggling her career and motherhood, so burnout has become a part of her life. To avoid another mid-season burnout, Svitolina took a week off after losing to eventual runner-up Aryna Sabalenka in her career’s first Australian Open semifinal.

Elina Svitolina
Elina Svitolina (Image via X/Elina Monfils)

When you’re really in a Grand Slam, you may not feel it in the moment, but it’s in the days after when it really hits you, and you drop! I know how it works. You cannot escape this. I also think it’s nice when you’re refreshed to play a tournament again because it means you’re back on track, mentally, and you’re trying to refocus again on your game.

Elina Svitolina told Tennis.com

Before the first Major of the season, Svitolina lifted her career’s 19th singles title by defeating Wang Xinyu at the ASB Classic. Last year, she clinched the Open de Rouen by defeating Olga Danilovic. The last time Svitolina lifted a Big Title was at the 2018 WTA Finals against Sloane Stephens.

We’ve seen so many surprise finalists and winners, and players who really play well for two weeks who surprise even themselves. Of course, I see how, from experiencing all these matches over the years, I feel like a more solid player. I feel like my game really improved, and I can really win matches and challenge big players. When I’m fit, when I’m mentally good, I can have a chance. So, I do believe in this, and then whatever comes, comes.

Elina Svitolina added

At the Qatar Open, Svitolina has yet to reach the quarterfinals. Last year, in the first WTA 1000 of the season, Pegula knocked her out of the second round.

Also read: Boris Becker Slammed for Recently Criticizing Emma Raducanu: “A Mean-Spirited Opinion”