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Top-ranked tennis player Aryna Sabalenka said she respected her opponent’s decision not to shake her hand after their semifinal match at the Australian Open on Thursday, a decision she said most Ukrainian players have been making “for so long.”
Sabalenka, who is Belarusian but can only play under a neutral flag at Grand Slams since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-2, 6-3.
Aryna Sabalenka, right, walks past Elina Svitolina during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Before the conclusion of the match, a message on the big screen from Australian Open organizers informed the crowd that the pair would not shake hands at the net after it was over.
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“At the end of the game, there will be no handshakes between the players. We appreciate your respect for both athletes during and after the game.”
After the match, Sabalenka was asked directly about Svitolina’s decision.
Elina Svitolina gestures during her semifinal match against Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Aarón Favila)
“I’m not focusing on that and they’ve been doing it for so long. It’s their decision and I respect that and now I have time to respect it and [in the] interview on the court.”
He continued: “I think she knows that I respect her as a player, I know that she respects me as a player, that’s all that matters to me.” [about.] But there is no handshake, it’s your decision. “I respect that.”
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Svitolina praised Sabalenka’s performance during the semi-final matchup. He was not asked directly about the handshake, but said he chooses to remain optimistic despite such a crushing defeat due to the circumstances in his home country.
Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka reject a handshake after the women’s singles semi-final match during day 12 of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, on January 29, 2026. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“I feel like I shouldn’t be allowed to be really sad. I have a great position. First of all, not just from a personal perspective, I have this incredible opportunity to play on center court here, represent my country, do it in a decent way, have the opportunity to use my voice and just be there for my people.”
“When I wake up in the morning, I see, of course, scary news, but then I see people watching my matches, writing comments and really… I think it’s a great exchange of positive emotions, so I can’t complain. People are really living a horrible and scary life in Ukraine, so I shouldn’t be allowed to be really sad because I’m a very, very lucky person.”
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Aryna Sabalenka celebrates a point in the women’s singles semi-final match against Elina Svitolina during day 12 of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, on January 29, 2026. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
With her victory on Thursday, Sabalenka set up a rematch of her 2023 final against Elena Rybakina. She became the third woman in the Open era to reach four consecutive singles finals at the Australian Open.
