Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina qualified for the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Monday, securing a dominant win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova, who did not shake hands at the end of the match.
Currently ranked 28th in the world, Svitolina defeated Kudermetova 6-4, 6-1 at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. This marks the third time in her career that Svitolina has reached the quarterfinals of the tournament, the last occurrence being in 2019.
“It happened many years ago”, commented Svitolina after finishing the match in 1 hour and 23 minutes.
The decision not to shake hands with her opponent at the end of the match is related to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Event organizers displayed a message on the large screens at the venue, informing the crowd that the traditional handshake would not take place and urging spectators to show respect given the difficult circumstances.
In the next round, Svitolina will face Madison Keys, who eliminated Elena Rybakina, for a spot in the semifinals of the season’s first Grand Slam.
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