Tennis player Elina Svitolina called her opponent, Russian Daria Kasatkina, a 鈥渂rave one鈥� following the Ukrainian鈥檚 upset win on Sunday.
Svitolina, who previously said she would not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents out of respect for the men and women defending Ukraine, told reporters that she 鈥渁cknowledged鈥� Kasatkina after the match.
Kasatkina has been outspoken in her criticism of the war, describing it last year as a 鈥渘ightmare,鈥� according to the New York Times.
Last month, Kasatkina, Russia鈥檚 top-ranked female tennis player, also expressed her sympathy for Ukrainian tennis players who refuse to shake her hand after matches.
鈥淩eally thankful for her position that she took. She鈥檚 [a] really brave person to say it publicly, that not so many players did,鈥� Svitolina said, after advancing to the quarterfinals of the French Open.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a brave one.鈥�
Instead of a hand shake, Kasatkina gave her opponent a thumbs up at the net after losing the match 6-4 7-6 (7-5). She later said she was disappointed to hear boos from some members of the crowd.
鈥淟eaving Paris with a very bitter feeling. All this days, after every match I鈥檝e played in Paris I always appreciate and thanked crowd for support and being there for the players,鈥� Kasatkina tweeted Monday.
鈥淏ut yesterday I was booed for just being respectful on my opponent鈥檚 position not to shake hands.
鈥淢e and Elina showed respect to each other after a tough match but leaving the court like that was the worse part of yesterday. Be better, love each other. Don鈥檛 spread hate. Try to make this world better.鈥�
Kasatkina, who last year announced she was gay and criticized Russia鈥檚 attitudes towards homosexuality, has maintained her stance against the war in Ukraine.
鈥淭he saddest part is the war still going on,鈥� the 26-year-old said last month. 鈥淪o of course, players from Ukraine have got a lot of reasons to not shake our hands. I accept it and it is how it is. It鈥檚 a very sad situation and I understand.鈥�
Playing in her first major since the 2022 Australian Open and first since becoming a mother, Svitolina said she was just focused on recovery and preparing for her next match.
鈥淥f course I would love to win here,鈥� Svitolina said. 鈥淚t will be the dream, but it鈥檚 always been in my career like step by step.
鈥淚 think this is the only right way to do, to not look too much into the future, because otherwise you lose your focus from the small things that brings you to win the matches.鈥�
SABALENKA NEXT
Svitolina will play Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the next round on Tuesday.
World No. 2 Sabalenka stopped participating in customary post-match press conferences at the tournament after saying she didn鈥檛 feel safe at a previous press conference where she was questioned about her country鈥檚 involvement in the war.
Sabalenka said in March that she struggled to understand the 鈥渉ate鈥� she encountered in the locker room amid strained relations between some players following the invasion of Ukraine 鈥� Belarus is being used as a key staging ground for Russia.
鈥淎bout the war situation, I said it many, many times, nobody in this world 鈥� Russian athletes, Belarusian athletes 鈥� supports the war. Nobody. How can we support the war? Normal people will never support it,鈥� she said.
Russian and Belarusian players are currently still competing on the tours as neutral athletes without their flag or country displayed.
