Hand-Shaking Controversy Resurfaces as 28-Year-Old Elina Svitolina Expresses Frustration and Disbelief Over the Current WTA Scene – ‘My Position Has to Be..’

Published 07/24/2023, 2:50 PM EDT

Elina Svitolina, the 28-year-old Ukrainian tennis star, has been standing out on the court these days. She is not only known for her skills on the court, but also for her firm stance on specific issues. At Wimbledon, she arrived at the semi-finals, enamoring the crowd and overcoming some of the greatest names in the sport. Nonetheless, amid her incredible comeback, Svitolina ended up entangled in a handshaking controversy.

In a recent interview with Harper Bazaar, Svitolina emphasizes her position on not warmly greeting Russian and Belarusian players. She asserted that political issues and sports can’t generally be isolated.

Elina Svitolina rises above controversy and defends her beliefs on the WTA tour

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Elina Svitolina considers her Wimbledon campaign a “magical, magical tournament.” Despite missing her chance to seal a place in the finals, the Ukrainian player cherished the support she got from the fans. Standing by her on this critical journey was her significant other, French tennis player Gaël Monfils, and their charming nine-month-old little girl, Skaï. However, the focus moved from her triumphs to her position on handshakes during the competition.

Svitolina had made it clear that she wouldn’t greet players from Russia and Belarus. She considered her stance as standing in solidarity with her country, Ukraine, amidst its war against Russia. Her words went under scrutiny after she triumphed over Belarusian player Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon. Smatterings of boos reverberated through the stands when she avoided warmly greeting Azarenka. Svitolina has since communicated her anxiety for compatriots who are battling for the freedom of Ukraine.

In the interview, she shared, “For me, it is very sad, and very frustrating that people don’t understand this,..”.

Svitolina expressed her stance and stated that it’s evident for her not to shake hands when she has friends on the front line, currently fighting for Ukraine. She believes it is essential to represent her country clearly and stand by her beliefs.

Svitolina also clarified, “People need to understand that sometimes you can’t divide politics from sport. They are representing their countries and I am representing mine in front of the world. My position has to be clear.”

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Svitolina’s controversial handshake stance sparks debate

During Svitolina’s match against Azarenka, a controversy arose on the court. Svitolina had refused to shake hands with Belarusian or Russian players due to the ongoing war. Aware of this, Azarenka didn’t wait for a handshake, leading to boos from the crowd. The incident sparked debates on various social media platforms.

Svitolina now urges tennis organizations to clarify and declare that no handshakes will occur between Ukrainian and Russian/Belarusian players. Despite the crowd’s reaction, both players demonstrated mutual respect. Azarenka had raised her arm in support and Svitolina reciprocated with a gesture of her racket after the match.

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What do you think about the incident? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Aditya Menon is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports, covering several high-profile tournaments and events. With a passion for writing that matches his love for the sport, he has a special interest in covering the activities of tennis legends like Serena Williams and the ‘Big Three’ of men’s tennis. Aditya’s interest in tennis started at a young age when his father introduced him to the sport.

Edited by:

Tony Thomas

Hand-Shaking Controversy Resurfaces as 28-Year-Old Elina Svitolina Expresses Frustration and Disbelief Over the Current WTA Scene – ‘My Position Has to Be..’

Elina Svitolina rises above controversy and defends her beliefs on the WTA tour

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Svitolina’s controversial handshake stance sparks debate