Aryna Sabalenka addresses Ukrainian opponent's decision to skip handshake after Australian Open semifinal

Top-ranked women’s tennis subordinate Aryna Sabalenka said she respected her opponent’s determination not to shingle hands pursuing their semifinal lucifer astatine the Australian Open connected Thursday, a determination that she says astir Ukrainian players person been making "for truthful long." 

Sabalenka, who is Belarusian but is lone permitted to play nether a neutral emblem astatine Grand Slams since the Russian penetration of Ukraine successful 2022, defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-2, 6-3. 

Aryna Sabalenka, right, walks past Elina Svitolina during their semifinal lucifer astatine the Australian Open tennis title successful Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026.  (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Before the decision of the match, a connection connected the large surface from Australian Open organizers informed the assemblage that the brace would not beryllium shaking hands astatine the nett pursuing its completion. 

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"At the decision of the match, determination volition beryllium nary handshake betwixt the players. We admit your respect for some athletes during and pursuing the match." 

After the match, Sabalenka was asked straight astir Svitolina’s decision. 

Elina Svitolina gestures during her semifinal lucifer against Aryna Sabalenka astatine the Australian Open tennis title successful Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026.  (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

"I’m not focusing connected that and they’ve been doing it for truthful long. It’s their determination and I respect that and I person clip close present to respect her and [in the] on-court interview." 

She continued, "I deliberation that she knows I respect her arsenic a player, I cognize she respects maine arsenic a subordinate – that’s each I attraction [about.] But nary handshake, it's their decision. I respect that." 

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Svitolina spoke highly of Sabalenka’s show during their semifinal matchup. She was not asked straight astir the handshake, but did accidental she chooses to stay optimistic contempt specified a crushing decision due to the fact that of the circumstances successful her location country. 

Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka diminution a post-match handshake aft the women’s singles semifinal lucifer during Day 12 of the 2026 Australian Open astatine Melbourne Park successful Melbourne, Australia, connected Jan. 29, 2026. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

"I consciousness similar I should not beryllium allowed to truly beryllium sad. I person a large position. Firstly, not conscionable arsenic a  idiosyncratic perspective, I person this astonishing accidental to play successful the halfway tribunal here, correspond my country, to bash it successful a decent way, to person an accidental to usage my dependable and conscionable beryllium determination for my people."

"When I aftermath up successful the morning, I see, of course, terrifying quality but past I spot radical watching my matches, they constitute comments and they’re truly – I deliberation it’s a large speech of affirmative emotions truthful I tin not complain. The radical are truly surviving a horrible and terrifying beingness successful Ukraine, truthful I should not beryllium allowed to truly beryllium bittersweet due to the fact that I americium a very, precise fortunate person." 

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Aryna Sabalenka celebrates a constituent successful the women’s singles semifinal lucifer against Elina Svitolina during time 12 of the 2026 Australian Open astatine Melbourne Park successful Melbourne, Australia, connected Jan. 29, 2026. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

With her triumph connected Thursday, Sabalenka acceptable up a rematch of her 2023 last against Elena Rybakina. She became the 3rd pistillate successful the Open epoch to scope 4 consecutive singles finals astatine the Australian Open.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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