Aryna Sabalenka backs rival Elina Svitolina over no handshake announcement proposal
Aryna Sabalenka SUPPORTS rival Elina Svitolina’s call to Wimbledon to announce there will be no handshakes between Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian players… after Victoria Azarenka was booed by supporters
Aryna Sabalenka has backed rival Elina Svitolina’s call to Wimbledon to announce before matches that there will be no handshakes between players from Ukraine and those from Russia or Belarus.
Salabenka’s Belarusian counterpart Victoria Azarenka was booed by some of the first court audience on Sunday night after she ran against Ukraine’s Svitolina, who has a policy of not shaking hands with countries involved in invading her country.
Number two seed Sabalenka, who will take on Madison Keys in the quarterfinals after defeating Russia’s Anna Blinkova on Monday, said of Azarenka’s aftermath: “I mean, that’s a really tough situation.
“As Elina said, I think someone should come out on social media announcing that there will be no handshakes so players don’t leave court with so much hatred.
When asked if someone could be transferred to the fans via the tannoy before the match, Sabalenka added: “Probably it would be good for the audience to really know what’s going on. There’s a reason there’s no handshake.’
Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (right) was booed by part of the crowd after she failed to shake hands with Elina Svitolina following the Ukrainian’s fourth-round victory on Sunday night
Svitolina (pictured) has a policy of not shaking hands with Belarusian or Russian players due to the ongoing invasion of her country
Aryna Sabalenka has backed the call to play an announcement before matches saying there will be no handshakes between players from Ukraine and those from Russia or Belarus
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Svitolina was previously booed off the field at French Open after refusing to shake hands with Sabalenka.
Meanwhile, Azarenka’s hopes in women’s doubles came to an end after her partner was injured during her fourth-round singles match.
Beatriz Haddad Maia was left in tears when she was forced to retire during her last 16 match with defending champion Elena Rybakina.
She suffered a hip injury early in the first set, putting her on a long medical timeout while trailing 3–1.
After being in tears the last game, she reluctantly retired with the score tied at 4-1.
Due to her injury, both she and Azarenka were forced to withdraw from their second round doubles match with Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva.
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