Professional tennis players shake hands after their matches — except, in some noteworthy cases, when one participant is Ukrainian and the other either Russian or Belarusian.
“What should I have done. Stayed and waited?” Ms. Azarenka asked in her remarks to the media.
The no-handshake policy is rooted in war: Ukrainians have taken to withholding handshakes from post-match meetups as a protest of the Russian invasion of Ukraine — for which Belarus has provided critical support. The trend has made for a string of awkward moments on the pro tour, as Ms. Svitolina and her compatriots have upended what one commentator called the “emotional crux” of a tennis match.
A year ago at Wimbledon, handshakes weren’t an issue. The tournament barred players from Russia and Belarus on the rationale that “it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players.” The Association of Tennis Professionals called the action “unfair” and said discrimination on the basis of nationality violated its agreement with Wimbledon. By excluding some of the world’s top tennis talents, the move also cheapened the entire competition.