2023 French Open Outcomes: Elina Svitolina Faces Booing After Defeat by Aryna Sabalenka in Paris
Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, known for not shaking hands with her Russian competitors, faced jeering from the crowd as she bypassed Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus, who was waiting for a handshake at the net.
The 2023 French Open
Location: Roland Garros, Paris Duration: May 28 to June 11
Broadcasting: Live text and audio commentaries for chosen matches on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the Sports News Center website, and app
In the tense quarter-final, Elina Svitolina accused Aryna Sabalenka of provoking the French Open audience into jeering her by waiting at the net for a handshake. Svitolina has refrained from shaking hands with Russian players since the invasion of Ukraine, supported by Belarus.
Prior to her defeat to Sabalenka, Svitolina had publicly announced her intention to continue the practice. When questioned if Sabalenka incited the boos through her actions, Svitolina responded affirmatively, much to her dismay. Sabalenka defended herself, claiming her reaction was instinctual.
This unfortunate incident put a damper on Svitolina’s impressive performance at Roland Garros, while Sabalenka, the second seed, maintained her composure to proceed to the semi-finals.
Having given birth in October, this was Svitolina’s first Grand Slam. Despite a 6-4 6-4 loss on the Paris clay, she was not surprised by the booing, considering her clear stance on the handshake issue.
The quarter-final was a tension-filled match between women representing nations on opposing sides of the conflict in Ukraine. Sabalenka, 25, validated her status as a title favourite and will face Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals.
Muchova, the unseeded Czech player, secured her first French Open semi-final berth with a straight-set win over former finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Svitolina’s journey to the quarter-finals was one of the highlights of this year’s tournament. Despite the mental strain of the war in her homeland, her outstanding performance at her first Grand Slam post-maternity was quite impressive.
Facing Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, posed a unique challenge for Svitolina. The two faced off in a highly-publicized match, each hailing from nations involved in the conflict with Russia.
Sabalenka has secured the highest number of wins on the WTA Tour this year, her strong resolve and improved fitness contributing to her aggressive playing style.
Despite her past successes, Sabalenka experienced a few shaky moments in her match against Svitolina. However, she managed to regain her composure and win, advancing to the quarter-finals of a third consecutive Grand Slam.
In a notable match, Karolina Muchova defeated former finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-2, marking her second Grand Slam semi-final appearance. Overcoming the Russian’s five service breaks, Muchova confidently won the second set.
Pavlyuchenkova, who had been struggling with a serious knee injury, had previously reached the Roland Garros finals in 2021, where she was defeated by Barbora Krejcikova. Unfortunately, her journey was cut short this year by an excellent performance from Muchova.
During her on-court interview, Muchova expressed her joy over the past fortnight, delighted to still be competing.
5 comments
Wow, what a game. sabalenka really brought it on this time. Svitolina, shouldnt have ignored the handshake, sports is about respect right?
I can’t believe Svitolina’s back in the game after her baby, Amazing, really inspiring! that booing though, seemed a bit harsh.
never liked all these politics mixing with sports. just let them play the game!
Poor Svitolina, she’s in a tough spot. i guess its all part of the drama of the French Open.
sabalenka’s game has been fire! can’t wait to see the semi-finals. Muchova also looking strong.