Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina calls Russian opponent ‘courageous’ following French Open win | CNN

CNN
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Tennis participant Elina Svitolina referred to as her opponent, Russian Daria Kasatkina, a “courageous one” following the Ukrainian’s upset win on Sunday.

Svitolina, who beforehand mentioned she wouldn’t shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents out of respect for the women and men defending Ukraine, informed reporters that she “acknowledged” Kasatkina after the match.

Kasatkina has been outspoken in her criticism of the warfare, describing it final yr as a “nightmare,” in line with the New York Times.

Final month, Kasatkina, Russia’s top-ranked feminine tennis participant, additionally expressed her sympathy for Ukrainian tennis gamers who refuse to shake her hand after matches.

“Actually grateful for her place that she took. She’s [a] actually courageous particular person to say it publicly, that not so many gamers did,” Svitolina mentioned, after advancing to the quarterfinals of the French Open.

“She’s a courageous one.”

As a substitute of a hand shake, Kasatkina gave her opponent a thumbs up on the internet after shedding the match 6-4 7-6 (7-5). She later mentioned she was disenchanted to listen to boos from some members of the group.

“Leaving Paris with a really bitter feeling. All this days, after each match I’ve performed in Paris I at all times admire and thanked crowd for help and being there for the gamers,” Kasatkina tweeted Monday.

“However yesterday I used to be booed for simply being respectful on my opponent’s place to not shake arms.

“Me and Elina confirmed respect to one another after a troublesome match however leaving the courtroom like that was the more serious a part of yesterday. Be higher, love one another. Don’t unfold hate. Attempt to make this world higher.”

Kasatkina, who final yr introduced she was homosexual and criticized Russia’s attitudes in the direction of homosexuality, has maintained her stance towards the warfare in Ukraine.

“The saddest half is the warfare nonetheless occurring,” the 26-year-old mentioned final month. “So in fact, gamers from Ukraine have gotten a number of causes to not shake our arms. I settle for it and it’s how it’s. It’s a really unhappy scenario and I perceive.”

Enjoying in her first main because the 2022 Australian Open and first since turning into a mom, Svitolina mentioned she was simply targeted on restoration and making ready for her subsequent match.

“In fact I might like to win right here,” Svitolina mentioned. “It will likely be the dream, however it’s at all times been in my profession like step-by-step.

“I believe that is the one proper option to do, to not look an excessive amount of into the long run, as a result of in any other case you lose your focus from the small issues that brings you to win the matches.”

Svitolina will play Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka within the subsequent spherical on Tuesday.

World No. 2 Sabalenka stopped participating in customary post-match press conferences on the match after saying she didn’t really feel protected at a earlier press convention the place she was questioned about her nation’s involvement within the warfare.

Sabalenka mentioned in March that she struggled to know the “hate” she encountered within the locker room amid strained relations between some gamers following the invasion of Ukraine – Belarus is getting used as a key staging floor for Russia.

“Concerning the warfare scenario, I mentioned it many, many occasions, no one on this world – Russian athletes, Belarusian athletes – helps the warfare. No one. How can we help the warfare? Regular individuals won’t ever help it,” she mentioned.

Russian and Belarusian gamers are presently nonetheless competing on the excursions as impartial athletes with out their flag or nation displayed.