Elina Svitolina recently returned to the WTA tournament, and the player from Ukraine is going through a very good period. She reached the round of 16 at Roland Garros on Friday after overcoming Russian Anna Blinkova, but did not shake her hand at the end of the match.

>>> Aryna Sabalenko and why she refused to come to the press conference after selection to the 1/8 finals of Roland Garros

Elina Svitolina did not shake Anna Blinka’s hand at the end of the match, for which she reached the 1/8 finals of Roland Garros

Champion even before Roland Garros in Strasbourg, Elina Svitolina is the voice of Ukraine in the context of the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine.

The athlete, who won the Tournament of Champions in 2018, defeated Anna Blinkova in the third round and reached the 1/8 finals of the Grand Slam tournament in Paris.

At the end of the argument, Svitolina did not shake the Russian’s hand, but immediately explained her gesture.

“It all started with the government of Ukraine, which went to negotiations with the government of Russia. They were against handshakes because they don’t share the same values, obviously, and because of what the Russians are doing in our country. We are Ukrainians, all united by the goal of victory in this war. We do everything necessary.

I am Ukrainian. I support my country, I do everything I can to support the Ukrainians who are now on the front line and are fighting for our land, for our country. Can you imagine the guy or gal on the front lines looking at me and I think nothing is happening?

I represent my country. I have a voice and I have a position in this war. It is terrible what the Russian authorities and Russian soldiers are doing. We are all united, Ukrainians.” – said Svitolina at the press conference.

A similar thing happened in the match between Marta Kostyuk and Aryna Sabalenko, but Svitolina’s compatriot was “sanctioned” by the spectators present in the arena and booed.

Svitolina did not receive such treatment, and fans did not notice her gesture.

>>> Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk explained why she does not respect Aryna Sabalenko

>>> A journalist from Ukraine, an unequivocal conclusion after a tense press conference: Aryna Sabalenko supports the war