(VIDEO) Handshake snub due to nationality or was it? Confusion as Dayana Yastremska appears to snub Russian-born Varvara Gracheva
WTA
Since the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine, players from the latter nation have decided not to shake hands with players from the former with many wanting them banned. Dayana Yastremska seemed to snub a handshake or hug with Varvara Gracheva yesterday despite the latter long living and representing France.
Fans speculated the reasoning for this with some seeing it as due to the strained relations between their respective nationalities. While others pointed out that supposedly Yastremska said that she was feeling under the weather and was sick multiple times during their match which was the cause for it.
Yastremska was facing Gracheva who was born in Moscow and received French citizenship in 2023. There seemed to be some hesitancy with Gracheva going in for a hug before realising that Yastremska wasn't playing ball.
Yastremska then appeared to explain herself before walking off. Others also pointed out the potential hypocrisy of this with players shaking hands with Elena Rybakina for instance who was born in Moscow in similar circumstances to Gracheva.
Watch the video below. What do you think?
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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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