Elina Svitolina’s reaction to Victoria Azarenka’s booing in Wimbledon has Laura Robson puzzled
Miscommunication and national tensions overshadow Wimbledon thriller
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Still from the Wimbledon 2023's 'no handshake incident' (Credit:- talkSPORT)
The decision of Belarusian player Victoria Azarenka to not shake hands with her Ukrainian opponent Elina Svitolina after their fourth-round match at Wimbledon has sparked a debate. The event has sparked requests for clarification from tennis organizations on the practice of handshakes between Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian players.
Svitolina defeated Azarenka in a dramatic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory. However, the aftermath of the match drew a lot of attention when Azarenka waived to Svitolina instead of extending her hand for the customary post-match handshake. The crowd booed, probably unaware of the fact that Svitolina has officially expressed her personal decision not to shake hands with Russian or Belarusian players due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.
“It was totally fair. I don’t think the crowd understood that Svitolina was never going to shake her hand. For the crowd to react like this, I don’t think anyone appreciated it – most of all Svitolina,” said Laura Robson a former tennis player and commentator on Eurosport. Robson further expressed her dissatisfaction that the handshake scandal overshadowed the game, taking attention away from the exceptional performance shown by the players.
When asked about the audience’s reaction, Azarenka stated, “I can’t control the crowd. I’m not sure that a lot of people were understanding what’s happening. I haven’t done anything wrong, but I keep getting different treatment sometimes. She doesn’t want to shake hands with Russian, Belarusian people. I respected her decision.”
Elina Svitolina’s decision to not shake hands with any Russian or Belarussian players
Svitolina, the top Ukrainian player on both the men’s and women’s professional tours, has announced that she will not shake hands with Russian or Belarussian opponents. She has stated unequivocally that she will not do so until Russian troops cease their assault on her homeland.
“I already said multiple times that until Russian troops are out of Ukraine and we take back our territories, I’m not going to shake hands. So I have clear statement. I don’t know how more clear I can be,” Svitolina said after her win against Azarenka.
Svitolina isn’t the only Ukrainian player who refuses to shake hands with her Russian or Belarussian opponents after games. Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine also refuses to shake hands with players from both countries.
Svitolina only returned to tennis earlier this year after giving birth to her first child, but the Ukrainian wildcard has matched her best All England Club achievement by reaching the final eight. She will now face the top seed, Iga Swiatek.
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Navya Mishra
(407 Articles Published)