This year’s Madrid Open saw some controversial incidents. This involves the “cake” controversy of Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, followed by Jessica Pegula’s doubles discrimination. The WTA has gone all out at the Madrid Open for supposedly not filtering these discriminatory tactics. To bring in a gush of fresh air, former world no. 9 Andrea Petkovic has stepped in to bring respite by sharing a funny anecdote bashing the misconceptions around the “cold” handshake in WTA.

Tennis matches are always tense, especially when it is a close call. However, the notion around WTA that the players treat each other more aloof than ATP players was recently bashed by Petkovic.

Andrea Petkovic brings relief to Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula Madrid Open controversy with a hilarious anecdote

Tennis matches against top-tier players can be a delight for the spectators. However, it is equally nerve-wracking for the players involved. But according to former world no. 9  Andrea Petkovic, there is no animosity between the players once the match gets over.

In a recent tweet, the German player shared her favorite on-court moment that she shared with Gisela Dulko. She stated, “My favorite tennis memory is playing Gisela Dulko in Tokyo & after the match she went for an air kiss on the cheek, I went for a hug and we accidentally ended up kind of making out.”

Sharing such an accidental yet hilarious moment lightened the mood between the two players. She stated, “We played at 10 am because of rain and the three audience members looked thoroughly confused.”

Hence refuting the claims about the WTA players, she stated, “So, not at all impressed by the narrative WTA handshakes are cold. You just have to show up at 10 am.” This has worked as a respite amidst the heightened tension around the biased treatment of ATP players over the WTA ones during the Madrid Open.

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Sabalenka supposedly received a smaller cake from the Madrid Open organizers as compared to Carlos Alcaraz Garfia.

Besides that, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula brought notice to the fact that women’s doubles players were not allowed to make speeches when their male counterparts did. Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated the American duo and even they could not make speeches.

Was there a “cold” handshake between Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek? 

Watching two astounding tennis players compete in the finals of a tournament is a delight. So it was when world no. 1 Iga Swiatek and world no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka went against each other in the finals of the Stuttgart Open. However, it is usually a tense situation for the players. So, the crisp handshake at the end of the match became one more incident to back the notion that WTA handshakes are cold.

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However, limiting the notion just to WTA players shows a conventional gender outlook on the issue. Because ATP players too have had brisk handshakes after a tense match. What is your take on the issue? Let us know in the comments below.