Aryna Sabalenka won her opening match at the French Open on Sunday 6-3, 6-2 over Marta Kostyuk but was blanked as expected at the ritual post-match handshake by the Ukrainian.
Second seed Sabalenka has become something of a tennis villain since Russia invaded Ukraine, aided by Belarus.
The seed admitted that she has no contact with Ukrainian rivals in the locker room but is trying not to stress over the hatred directed at her.
Australian Open champion Sabalenka, who won the Madrid title but lost in Rome in her first match, has never been past the third round here.
She advanced on a first match point against Kostyuk and called the win “very tough emotionally.”
Kostyuk has been outspoken in her disgust with the invasion of her country and has no time to deal with players from the two aggressor nations.
She also refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka at the US Open last year after a match.
Sabalenka said this month that she can cop the hatred.
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“If she hates me, OK. I can’t do anything about that,” she said in the Paris run-up.
“About the no shaking, I can kind of understand them. Like I imagine if they’re going to shake hands with Russians and Belarusians, then they’re gonna get so many messages from their home countries.”
“If they feel good with no shaking hands, I’m happy with that.”
