"I don't think the crowd understood": Robson believes Azarenka no handshake was 'totally fair' and respectful

WTA
Monday, 10 July 2023 at 17:30
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Former Britain tennis player Laura Robson believes that Russia’s Victoria Azarenka did ‘nothing wrong’ by not shaking hands with Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina after her Wimbledon round of 16 clash.
The former world number one Azarenka was booed by the crowd for not having a handshake with the 28-year-old after suffering a defeat in the fourth round of the third Grand Slam of the year on Sunday with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 7-6.
After the match, the two-time Australian Open winner, while talking to the media, made her position clear that it was not her decision to not have a handshake and that she just respected the wish of her opponent.
In response to that, Svitolina also made it clear that she does not want to have a handshake with any player from Russia until every Russian soldier will leave the soil of Ukraine.
Robson, while talking during the Eurosport’s Wimbledon coverage, backed the two-time Grand Slam winner Azarenka and stated that she did nothing wrong and also suggested that the crowd misunderstood the whole situation.
"It was totally fair," said Robson. "I don't think the crowd understood that Svitolina was never going to shake her hand. She said 'thank you', went to her bag, did everything you thought she was going to do if you follow tennis week in, week out.
"For the crowd to react like this, I don't think anyone appreciated it - most of all Svitolina. That was an absolute battle of a performance that both gave and for the match to be about anything other than tennis is so disappointing.
"Azarenka did nothing wrong. For her to be talking about that after the match rather than the tennis is so disappointing."

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