By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, July 31, 2023
Readability is coming earlier than Victoria Azarenka and Elina Svitolina sq. off on the Mubadala Citi DC Open tonight.
Earlier this month, Belarusian Azarenka was booed off No. 1 Courtroom at Wimbledon after a high-quality conflict vs. Ukrainian Svitolina.
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Svitolina scored a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(9) conquer Azarenka at Wimbledon in an excellent showdown. The booing started as a result of there was no handshake between the pair after the match.
Ukrainian gamers don’t take part within the post-match handshake with Russian and Belarusian gamers due to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine that started in February, 2022.
Since then, Ukrainians haven’t shaken arms with Russian or Belarusian opponents. Although it has been an ongoing apply for practically a year-and-a-half some followers apparently are nonetheless unaware of the problem.
To that finish, Svitolina mentioned WTA CEO Steve Simon assured her there will likely be a “no handshake” announcement earlier than the 2 girls meet once more tonight in DC to make clear the state of affairs for followers. “After our match at Wimbledon, WTA, as you realize, got here out with the assertion that there could be no handshakes between Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian gamers,” Svitolina instructed the media in Washington, DC. “Additionally yesterday I had a chat with Steve Simon and he instructed me that they are going to announce earlier than our match that there will likely be no handshake. So I am pleased with that.”
Following fan response at Wimbledon, each Azarenka and Svitolina, who have been as soon as doubles companions, known as on tennis’ governing our bodies to supply readability for followers in order that they perceive why there isn’t a handshake.
“For me personally, I feel the tennis organizations, they’ve to come back out with a press release that there will likely be no handshake between Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian gamers,” Svitolina mentioned at Wimbledon. “I do not know if it is perhaps not clear for individuals.
“Some individuals not likely know what is going on. So I feel that is the best approach to do.”
Epic. Elina ✨@ElinaSvitolina outlasts Victoria Azarenka in a rollercoaster three-set thriller to progress to the quarter-finals 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(9) 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/vikVFGuTFj
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2023
At Wimbledon, Azarenka additionally took problem with a number of journalists, whom she prompt have been magnifying the problem and fanning the flames of controversy within the course of.
“I do know Elina for a really very long time, I’ve all the time had an excellent relationship together with her,” Azarenka mentioned. “And the circumstances, it’s what it’s, and that is it. I do not assume that speaking about each little gesture makes any distinction or is a giant story. I am not saying you notably, however lots of people preserve speaking about it prefer it’s altering someone’s lives, which it is not.
“So the larger you guys are making it, the longer it’ll be a dialog. So in my view it is not a dialog that has any substance, any change, any impact, or actually something.”
Forward of tonight’s showdown, Azarenka mentioned she expects tennis to be the main focus.
“Positively appears like she’s enjoying free. , she’s simply coming again,” Azarenka mentioned of Svitolina. “So there may be nothing to defend, solely issues to realize. In a technique, I might say it is a bonus, nevertheless it relies upon the way you have a look at it.
“I really feel that it’s undoubtedly serving to her to play extra freely. She’s been enjoying properly. Positively the outcomes are there. I am trying ahead to, you realize, to a problem, for certain. Yeah, it’ll be a unique match, completely different floor, completely different metropolis. Fairly a number of issues completely different. Yeah, it’ll be a battle. It all the time is.”
Photograph credit score: Robert Prange/Getty
