The post-match handshake is one of those unwritten rules of tennis, no matter the result. But this time, that tradition is being put on hold. As Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina prepared to face off in the semifinals at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday, tournament officials stepped in with an announcement aimed at preventing booing before the match even began.

The long-running conflict between Ukraine and Russia has now reached the tennis court. “At the end of the match, there will be no handshake between the players. We appreciate your respect,” the event’s emcee told the crowd.

For anyone who missed it, Russian and Belarusian players have been competing as neutral athletes since 2022. Ukrainian players, meanwhile, have generally chosen not to shake hands with Russian or Belarusian opponents since the war began.

While Sabalenka has said she doesn’t mind shaking hands, her Ukrainian opponent feels differently and did have something to say.

Elina Svitolina, who is still chasing her first-ever Grand Slam final, has long been outspoken about the war. Over the years, she has made it clear that she will not meet Russian or Belarusian players at the net for a post-match handshake, and she has shown no intention of changing that stance.

She previously explained her position after her 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 win over Russia’s Anna Blinkova in Paris in 2023. “They [Ukraine] were against shaking the hands because they’re not sharing the same values, obviously, and what the Russians are doing to our country,” Svitolina said at the time.

Before their match, both players did pose for photos individually with the child mascot who was on court for the coin toss. However, they avoided taking pictures together. What’s more, host of NCR Tennis podcast, Ben Rothenberg also took to X to share a message that appeared on the giant screen inside the stadium.

“At the conclusion of the match, there will be no handshake between the players. We appreciate your respect for both athletes during and following the match,” the message read. Officials felt the need to act after the Australian crowd booed Mirra Andreeva following her loss to Elina Svitolina.

Why Melbourne turned on Mirra Andreeva after her loss

On Sunday, things didn’t go well for the “Russian Rabbit.” Just a week after winning the Adelaide title, many expected Mirra Andreeva to cruise through the fourth round and book a spot in the quarterfinals. But it didn’t go that way. Elina Svitolina took control and eased to a 6-2, 6-4 win.

After the match, as the Ukrainian celebrated her victory, the 18-year-old walked straight to the chair umpire to shake hands, then picked up her racquet bag and headed off the court. A large section of the crowd could be heard booing Andreeva, seemingly because she didn’t shake hands with Svitolina.

This time, it was Andreeva who skipped the handshake, something Svitolina herself has done before. With Andreeva being Russian, some felt she may have been returning the gesture, though she has not commented on it.

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But will Mirra Andreeva change her citizenship?

“I haven’t even thought about it. I’ve heard and seen it lately, especially about Kasatkina and how she changed her citizenship,” Andreeva said. “Many players have switched, but I’m going to keep playing as I am. I haven’t had any offers or anything like that, so for now, I’ll continue as is.”

Either way, tournament authorities weren’t willing to risk another round of booing, so they stepped in to make sure Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina’s match ended smoothly.