WTA launch assertion on Wimbledon booing storm after Azarenka
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) have launched a press release on the Wimbledon booing storm after Belarusian Victoria Azarenka was jeered off the courtroom for not shaking the hand of Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina. Svitolina defeated Azarenka to knock her out of Wimbledon on Sunday and insisted afterwards she didn’t really feel any sympathy for her Belarusian opponent’s reception.
Former world No 1 Azarenka was shocked by the vehemence of the SW19 crowd after she acknowledged Svitolina however didn’t try to shake fingers. Svitolina has been refusing to shake fingers with Russian or Belarusian opponents because the struggle in her nation started.
Azarenka later claimed that followers jeered as a result of they’d been consuming Pimm’s all day. Wimbledon chief Sally Bolton at the moment denied that was the case, saying: “That’s not an issue that we recognise. What I would say is what we all saw in that match was an extremely high-intensity well-matched contest that had the crowd absolutely on the edge of their seats. So the atmosphere in there was incredible. And that was driven by the quality of what they were seeing on the court.”
Numerous Russian and Belarusian gamers have since known as on the scenario round handshakes to be clarified and the WTA have now launched a press release, calling Sunday’s incident ‘unlucky’ and a ‘misunderstanding’.
The assertion learn: “Following the unfortunate circumstances and misunderstanding in yesterday’s match at @Wimbledon (along with other matches the past several weeks), the WTA would like to provide clarity around post-match handshakes.
“Due to the continuing reprehensible struggle, the WTA respects the place of the Ukrainian athletes in foregoing the custom of shaking opponents’ fingers (from Russia and Belarus) on the finish of a match, as this can be a private choice. We have a number of the greatest followers on the earth and are grateful for his or her ardour and dedication, and we thank them for his or her understanding and respect for the athletes.”
Wimbledon chief Bolton admitted on Monday that they would be unable to control fans but the WTA’s statement could help prevent the situation from being repeated. Several Russian or Belarusian players are still in the tournament but Svitolina is the only Ukrainian player left and can only meet Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka if she reaches the final.
Russian Daniil Medvedev, meanwhile, also felt that the booing incident was a ‘misunderstanding’. He said on Monday: “I think big misunderstanding. It’s very pity for Vika because she lost 11-9 on the tiebreaker. It’s brutal for anyone that loses a third-set tiebreaker, deciding set tiebreaker is brutal.
“As she said, I actually liked her response on the press conference, she respected the decision of Svitolina, about not shaking hands. I think the crowd that comes, Court 1 is what, maybe 10,000 people. I actually don’t know. They’re not all going to know the story behind this. They just saw Vika not shaking hands. That’s why I think they booed her. I liked her response where she said it was a great match and let’s talk about tennis. I think it’s a pity for sure for her that she got booed, and probably for no reason. But I think the people didn’t know the story behind it, and that’s why it happened.”
Sabalenka also spoke out about the incident and has since got her wish, having called on authorities to make fans aware of the situations around handshakes. She said: “I imply, that is actually powerful scenario. As Elina mentioned, I believe somebody have to return out on social media with the announcement that there’s not going to be handshake so gamers won’t depart courtroom with a lot hate.
“As I said, it would be good for the crowd to actually know what’s going on. There is a reason behind no handshake.”