Why did Elina Svitolina skip pre-match photo, post-match handshake vs Aryna Sabalenka in Australian Open?
Elina Svitolina skipped the pre-match photo and handshake with Aryna Sabalenka due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Such gestures have largely stopped in matches between Ukrainian players and Russian or Belarusian opponents since 2022.
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 to progress to her fourth-straight Australian Open final. The match was rather an easy affair for the Belarus international and she will now face the winner of Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina in the summit clash. Meanwhile, even though the game was a simple affair, what happened before it started grabbed the attention of the fans.
Before a ball was struck, the atmosphere carried an edge shaped by circumstances that have followed certain match-ups on the WTA Tour for the past three years. The first signal came during the pre-match formalities. Sabalenka, the world No. 1, stepped forward for the traditional on-court photograph alongside the ball kid. Svitolina did not join her. When both players later walked to the net, the expected handshake never came. The empty space between them told its own story, one that has become familiar since 2022.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Belarus’s involvement in the conflict, encounters between Ukrainian players and those from Russia or Belarus have taken on wider significance. Handshakes have largely vanished from these matches. Svitolina, in particular, has consistently explained how emotionally complex these moments are and why she believes refusing such gestures carries meaning beyond sport.
The tension continued during the match
That tension did not fade once the match began. Midway through play, Sabalenka was called for hindrance by the chair umpire after making a noise during a rally. The official ruled that the sound occurred during the point rather than as part of her usual grunt. Sabalenka reacted with visible frustration, questioned the call and requested a video review, briefly halting play and heightening the already charged atmosphere inside the arena.
For Svitolina, the semi-final represented the latest step in a demanding tournament run. Seeded 12th, she had navigated the draw through determination and physical resilience, leaning on quick footwork, disciplined defence and a refusal to yield. The pursuit of a first Grand Slam title continued to drive her campaign under Melbourne’s brightest lights.