"Is nothing happening?" Svitolina reacts to being booed for refusing to shake hands with Russian woman and admires Ukrainian army

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina will not shake hands with representatives of Russia and Belarus until the end of the war out of respect for Ukraine's defenders at the front. The 28-year-old from Odesa noted that all Ukrainians are united by a common goal and intend to stop the aggressor.

Svitolina said this in a comment to the Reuters news agency. The former Ukrainian number one added that her actions demonstrate her support for Ukraine and called the crimes committed by the Russian government and the Russian army horrifying.

"Ukrainians are united by one goal - to win this war. I stand up for my country, I do my best to support the men and women who are now on the frontline fighting for our land, our country. Can you imagine some guy or girl on the front line looking at me and me acting as if nothing is happening? I represent my country. I have a voice and a position in this war. What the Russian government and army are doing is really terrible. Ukrainians are united, and this is our position," Svitolina said.

On Friday, June 2, Elina defeated Russian Anna Blinkova to reach the 1/8 finals of Roland Garros, and after the match she refused to shake hands with her opponent. The fans then booed Svitolina.

Earlier at Roland Garros, Marta Kostiuk from Kyiv was subjected to pressure. She refused to greet Arina Sobolenko of Belarus, for which she was also booed.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, American tennis player Lauren Davis refused to continue her match with Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko at Roland Garros 2023.

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