Russian player Daria Kasatkina was booed after losing to Ukrainian Elina Svitolina and not shaking hands with her during Sunday's fourth round match at the French Open. Kasatkina explained her feelings on the situation further on Twitter after the match and said she was leaving Roland Garros with a "very bitter feeling."
Svitolina defeated the ninth-seeded Kasatkina in two sets, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). During the moment when players usually shake hands after the match, Kasatkina was seen simply giving Svitolina a thumbs up. The crowd booed the Russian star, but later she explained that not shaking hands was actually her opponent's idea.
"Leaving Paris with a very bitter feeling," Kasatkina wrote. "All this days, after every match I've played in Paris I always appreciate and thanked crowd for support and being there for the players. But yesterday I was booed for just being respectful on my opponents position not to shake hands.
"Me and Elina showed respect to each other after a tough match but leaving the court like that was the worse part of yesterday. Be better, love each other. Don't spread hate. Try to make this world better I will love RG no matter what, always and forever. See u next year."
Leaving Paris with a very bitter feeling. All this days, after every match I’ve played in Paris I always appreciate and thanked crowd for support and being there for the players. But yesterday I was booed for just being respectful on my opponents position not to shake hands. [1]
— Daria Kasatkina (@DKasatkina) June 5, 2023
Russia launched a military attack against Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Because the invasion hasn't ceased, Svitolina, who is from Ukraine, has opted to not shake hands with players from Russia or Belarus.
In an interview last summer, Kasatkina said she wanted the war to end and called it "a full-blown nightmare." Svitolina appreciated Kasatkina's position and spoke about it during the press conference after their match.
"Really thankful for her position that she took," said Svitolina. "Yeah, she's a really brave person to say it publicly, that not so many players did. She's a brave one."
Svitolina also did not shake hands with Russian Anna Blinkova after defeating her in three sets in the third round. She explained her decision during a press conference a few days ago.
"It started with the Ukrainian government that went to the meetings with the Russian government," she said. "They were against shaking hands because they're not sharing the same values and what the Russians are doing to our country. So, that's why it follows. We are Ukrainians, we all unite for one goal of winning this war.
"I'm Ukrainian, I'm standing for my country. I'm doing everything possible to support, to give good spirit for the men, for the women who are right now in the front line who are fighting for our land, for our country."
Svitolina will be taking on No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka, a Belarusian player, during Tuesday's quarterfinal.
