"I don't support war. I don't support war, in the sense that I don't support Lukashenko." This was stated by the Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros, after winning the quarterfinal against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who at the end did not shake her hand, being booed by the public. The tension between tennis players from Ukraine and those of Russia and Belarus has grown in the tournament underway in Paris and the world No.2 had been repeatedly urged to distance herself from the Minsk regime. After twice avoiding the post-match press conference, Sabalenka introduced herself today making these statements.
ANSA Agency
Roland Garros: Svitolina ko, Sabalenka in semifinals - Tennis
The defeated Ukrainian does not say goodbye to her Belarusian colleague at the end (ANSA)
Svitolina accuses Sabalenka, provocative waiting for handshake Elina
Svitolina accused Aryna Sabalenka of deliberately "inflamed" the already tense situation between Ukrainian and Belarusian players at Roland Garros. For the Ukrainian, - defeated by Belarusian in the quarterfinals 6-4, 6-4 - the gesture of Sabalenka who at the end of the match stopped at the net staring at the opponent, waiting for the handshake that would not have been there, was a provocation. "I don't know why she was waiting, because my statements had been quite clear about the handshake," stressed Svitolina - who was booed by the audience - When she saw Sabalenka stop at the net I thought: "What are you doing? I have made my position clear." Sabalenka had defeated in the first round another Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk who had refused to shake her hand and was also booed by the public. Svitolina stressed that she and other Ukrainians will continue to maintain their position against the Russians and Belarusians also in grass tournaments including Wimbledon next month. "I will not sell my country to people like these," the Ukrainian added, stressing that in her opinion Sabalenka should be fined for refusing to attend two mandatory press conferences after the third and fourth round matches.
