Crowd at Wimbledon responds with boos as Victoria Azarenka faces backlash for handshake refusal with Elina Svitolina of Ukraine

Azarenka criticized crowd for booing after Svitolina refused handshake post-match.

Victoria Azarenka, a professional tennis player from Belarus, faced backlash from the crowd at Wimbledon after her defeat to Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina. This match marked the first meeting between a Ukrainian player and a Russian or Belarusian player at the tournament.

The intense three-set match ended with Svitolina winning in the final-set tiebreak with an ace. However, what caught the attention of the crowd was Svitolina's refusal to shake Azarenka's hand post-match. This decision was consistent with Svitolina's stance of not shaking hands due to the ongoing war in her home country. In response, Azarenka stood at the net and offered a hand gesture as a sign of appreciation. As she left the court, she was met with boos from the crowd.

In a post-match interview, Azarenka expressed her respect for Svitolina's decision and criticized the crowd's reaction as unfair. She questioned what else she could have done in that situation and believed that her gesture was a respectful response to Svitolina's choice. Azarenka also acknowledged that many spectators may not have understood the context and attributed their negative reaction to the influence of alcohol consumed throughout the day.

Azarenka further emphasized that the focus should be on the quality of the tennis match rather than the handshake or the crowd's behavior. She dismissed the significance of the handshake conversation, stating that it is not a life-changing topic. Azarenka urged the media to move on from this issue and not sensationalize it.

Svitolina, who recently returned to tennis after giving birth, celebrated her victory against Azarenka, which marked her first win against her opponent after five previous defeats. She also expressed humor in stating that this victory was the second best moment of her life, following the birth of her daughter. When asked about the crowd's reaction, Svitolina revealed that she had experienced similar treatment at the French Open, where she had also refused to shake hands in three matches. She reiterated her stance on not shaking hands until the Russian troops are withdrawn from Ukraine and the territories are reclaimed.

Svitolina, who had expressed disagreement with the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players to participate in Wimbledon, suggested that tennis organizations should issue a statement clarifying that there will be no handshake between players from these countries. She believed that many people lack understanding of the situation in her home country and that tennis organizations could play a role in disseminating information.

Svitolina will now face top seed Iga Świątek in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.

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