No apologies: Ukraine’s Svitolina won’t interact with ‘enemy’ players

Elina Svitolina offered no apology for her hardline stance against players from invaders Russia and ally Belarus, with the Ukrainian puzzled as to why Aryna Sabalenka stood at the net after a 6-4, 6-4 French Open win on Tuesday.

The former WTA No, 3, coming back this season after October childbirth, has made it clear she will not shake hands with opponents from the two countries.

Sabalanka may not have gotten the message as she went to the net awaiting perhaps a late change of heart.

“I have my position, I’m standing by my position,” Svitolina said.

“I’m not gonna sell (out) my country for the likeness (popularity).”

She added: ” My initial reaction (to Sabalenka at the net)  was like, what are you doing? 

“In all of my press conferences I say my clear position. 

“So I don’t know: Maybe she’s not on social media during the tournaments,

“But it’s pretty clear that I’m not shaking hands, it’s quite simple, you know.”

With second seed Sabalenka refusing to front media – as required – after her previous two matches here, Svitolina wondered whey she did not get a USD 15,000 fine as was applied to Naomi Osaka here in 2021 for the same offence.

While Osaka claimed mental distress and eventually all but left the sport, Sabalenka answered a few pro forma post-match questions in a closed event which French Open officials tried to pass off a a media conference.

“Definitely  I think it (the rule) should be equal for everyone,” Svitolina said. 

“Why did Naomi get fined last time and this time there is no fine for the player, which also skip the press conference. 

“If there would be no fine for Naomi, maybe it would be different, but, you know, it should be equal for every situation.”

Svitolina, considered French by virtue of husband Gael Monfils, received some jeers as she left the court but said that it was no surprise.

“I was expecting that. Whoever in this situation loses, I guess, gets booed, so I was expecting that. It was not a surprise for me.”