Former world number 3 Elina Svitolina is getting some heat online. Despite a successful start to her Monterrey Open campaign and her spectacular victory against Elina Avanesyan, she’s getting flak online for her post-match behavior.
After registering a straight-set victory against Avanesyan in the Round of 16, Svitolina did not to shake hands with the Armenian player, who used to play for Russia. The decision was prompted by Svitolina’s policy to not shake hands with the Russian and Belarusian players due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.
After having received her citizenship from Armenia this month, Avaneysan changed her nationality and has been representing the Asian country ever since.
Hence, this gesture didn’t seem to sit well with spectators and tennis fans, who felt that the world number 51 should have received equal respect from her opponent. Fans found Svitolina’s behavior ‘absurd’ and believed that she needed to display sportsmanship by respecting her peers, who had no fault in the war:
What dos she want Russian players to do ? It’s even more absurd in this case, because Avanesyan did exactly what Ukrainian players wanted since the start
— Vic (@JooVict88170473) August 22, 2024
It’s shitty sportsmanship now.
— stephiegal (@stephiegal) August 22, 2024
Wow, even for avanesyan? Who gave up the country? This is just
— (@TallFicus) August 22, 2024
Her stupidity is without limit
— Alice ❄️▶️ (@Alice10204652) August 22, 2024
This is not the first time that the Ukrainian did not shake hands with her Russian/Belarusian counterparts. Earlier, during the French Open quarterfinal last year, she had refused to shake hands with former world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who won the game.
Svitolina’s no-handshake policy for Russian opponents
Tables were turned when during the 2023 Wimbledon game when Victoria Azarenka, who hails from Belarus didn’t wait for Svitolina to shake hands with her. Azarenka directly shook hands with the chair umpire and moved away to boos from the crowd.
In a post-match press conference, she clarified that she just ‘respected’ Svitolina’s decision instead of waiting for her.
Svitolina has previously clarified her stance on the matter during a press conference. Iterating that sports cannot be separated from politics, she explained,
“It’s an obvious thing not to shake hands when I have so many friends on the front lines fighting for Ukraine. Can you imagine them watching me compete and seeing me shake hands as if nothing had happened?… In this sense, my position must be clear.”
She will take on sixth seed Linda Noskova in the quarterfinals in Monterrey tomorrow.
