Belarus’ Sabalenka Waits for a Handshake From Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at French Open, Meets Media

Belarus’ Sabalenka Waits for a Handshake From Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina at French Open, Meets Media
Aryna Sabalenka waits at the net as Elina Svitolina of Ukraine refuses to shake hands after the Women's Singles Quarter Final match on Day Ten of the 2023 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on June 06, 2023. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
The Associated Press
Updated:

PARIS—Aryna Sabalenka smacked a forehand winner to reach the French Open semifinals for the first time, then strode forward. Placing both hands atop the net tape, she leaned forward and stared directly at Elina Svitolina, her Ukrainian opponent.

Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion whose nation, Belarus, helped Russia invade Ukraine to begin a war that now is in its 17th month, knew that Svitolina would not participate Tuesday in the usual postmatch handshake. Like other players from Ukraine, including Sabalenka’s first-round opponent at Roland Garros last week, Svitolina has avoided that traditional greeting after any match against someone from Russia or Belarus, for obvious reasons.