(VIDEO) "Don't be Paris, Wimbledon. Please": Azarenka booed by Wimbledon crowd after expected lack of handshake following Svitolina epic
WTASunday, 09 July 2023 at 21:48
Elina Svitolina edged out Victoria Azarenka in an absolute epic at Wimbledon with the Ukrainian reaching the Quarter-Finals, but one moment post-match left a sour taste for some.
Azarenka was booed by sections of Court One after not shaking hands despite it not being her decision in the first place with social media rallying behind the former World No.1.
Svitolina said pre-match that she would be continuing to not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players and despite both putting their hands up out of respect, it was reminiscent albeit not as vociferous as Paris.
This saw players such as Daria Kasatkina and even Marta Kostyuk being Ukrainian getting booed and despite no similar scenes happening so far, there were sections who took umbrage with Azarenka's decision. Albeit one out of her hands.
Reaction on social media
Despite both players acknowledging each other, she still was booed and The Tennis Podcast asked for them not to be like Paris were. "Unbelievably, after that incredible match, Azarenka got booed as she left the court - presumably because of the lack of handshake, although the two players acknowledged each other. Don't be Paris, Wimbledon. Please."
Others said on Social Media: "She did nothing wrong in the match, and played for nearly 3 hours. This isn't the French Open, credit it where it's due to both players."
"Victoria Azarenka's an absolute class act. A legend of the game. Look at her background and understand she really doesn't deserve to receive boos for her place of birth"
"It’s so weird that these major crowds don’t seem to realize that the players like Kasatkina and Azarenka are respecting their Ukrainian opponents’ wishes by not shaking hands. Instead, the RG and Wimbledon crowds boo them."
"Why did the crowd boo @vika7 (Azarenka). That was grim, Azarenka is a great person."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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