CNN
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Tennis player Elina Switolina called her rival, Russian Daria Kastkina “Bahadur Ek” after a distressed victory of Ukrainian on Sunday.
Svitolina, who earlier stated that she would not shake hands with Russian and Belarusi opponents, who are out of honor for men and women who defended Ukraine, told reporters that they “accept” Kastkina after the match.
Kasatkina has come out in its criticism of war, describing it as a “nightmare” last year, according to new York Times.
Last month, Russia’s top ranked female tennis player Kastkina also expressed her sympathy for the Ukrainian tennis players who refused to join their hands after the matches.
Svitolina said after proceeding in the French Open quarter -finals, “is actually grateful to her situation.
“He is a brave.”
Instead of a shake of one hand, Kasatkina gave her opponent a thumb to the net after losing the match 6-4 7-6 (7-5). She later said that she was disappointed to hear the boose from some members of the crowd.
“Leaving Paris with a very bitter spirit. All this day, after every match played in Paris, I always appreciate and thank the crowd for supporting the players and for being there,” Kasatkina Tweeted monday.
“But yesterday I was instigated to join hands on my opponent’s position only to be respectable.
“I and Elina showed respect for each other after a tough match, but left the court that was the worst part of tomorrow. Being better, love each other. Love each other. Don’t spread hatred. Try to improve this world.”
Kasatkina, who announced last year that he is gay and criticized Russia’s perspective towards homosexuality, has maintained his stand against the war in Ukraine.
The 26, the 26, said last month, “The most tragic part is still going on.” “So of course, Ukraine players have received many reasons for not shaking our hands. I accept it and this is how it is. It’s a very sad situation and I understand.”
After playing in her first head since the 2022 Australian Open and becoming a mother for the first time, Switolina said she was just focusing on recovery and preparing for her next match.
“Of course I would like to win here,” said Switolina. “This will be a dream, but it has always been like step by step in my career.
“I think this is the only right way to do, not too much to see in the future, because otherwise you lose your attention from small things that bring you to win the match.”
Switolina will play Belarusi Aryana Sabalenka in the next round on Tuesday.
World No. 2 Sabalenka stopped attending the customary post-match press conference in the tournament, saying that she did not feel safe in the last press conference, where she was questioned about her country participation in the war.
Sabalenka said in March that she was struggling to understand the “hatred” in the locker room in the midst of stressful relations between some players after Ukraine’s invasion – Belarus is being used as an important staging for Russia.
“Regarding the situation of war, I said many times, many times, anyone in this world – Russian athletes, Belarusi athletes – supports war. Nobody. Nobody. We can support war? Normal people will never support it,” he said.
Russian and Belarusian players are currently competing on tourism in the form of neutral athletes without their flags or country.
