Elina Svitolina makes plea as ‘brave’ Russian hailed for opposing country

Elina Svitolina has called on her Russian colleagues to speak out against the war after advancing to the second week of the French Open. The Ukrainian refused to shake hands with Russian opponent Anna Blinkova after winning 2-6 6-2 7-5. But she was full of praise for her next rival – Daria Kasatkina – who has openly condemned Russia for the war.

Svitolina is enjoying a fairytale run in Paris, in what is her first Grand Slam tournament since giving birth in October. The former world No 3 is back into the second week of Roland Garros for the first time since 2020 and will now face ninth seed Kasatkina.

It will be a second Russian rival in a row for the Odessa native, who refused to shake hands with Blinkova on Friday. Speaking after the match, the 17-time title winner made a plea for Russian and Belarusian players on the tour to condemn the conflict.

“I would love that. That’s for sure,” she said of players from the two nations openly asking their countries to end the war. Svitolina added: “I think pretty much all of Ukrainians would love to hear that from their side.”

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One Russian player has publicly condemned the war, however – Svitolina’s next opponent. Kasatkina has continued to call on her nation to stop the invasion of Ukraine, breaking down into tears during a YouTube video last year where she said she felt “powerless” to the war.

And the former world No 3 showed her appreciation for the world No 9, saying: “I’m thankful to Dasha for taking this position. That’s what you expect from others, as well. It’s really brave from her.”

But it appears unlikely that Svitolina will shake hands with Kasatkina despite the 26-year-old’s vocal opposition to the war. The Ukrainian told Blinkova “good match” despite snubbing their handshake on Friday.

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And afterwards, she explained why all Ukrainian players wouldn’t be shaking their hands anytime soon. “Well, you know, it started, you know, with the government, Ukrainian government, that went, you know, to the meetings also with the Russian government. They were against shaking the hands because they’re not sharing the same values, obviously, and what it’s doing, what the Russians doing to our country,” she said.

“So that’s why it follows. We are Ukrainians, we all unite for one goal, for the goal of winning this war, and we do everything what is on regarding this topic, you know. So I’m Ukrainian. I’m standing for my country. I’m doing everything possible in the way to support, to give a good spirit for the men, for the women who are right now in the front line who are fighting for our land, for our country.”

Svitolina said the snub was done to show solidarity with Ukrainians rather than upset her opponents, explaining that it was something happening outside of sport too. She continued: “So can you imagine the guy or a girl who is right now in a front line, you know, looking at me and I’m, like, acting like nothing is happening. I’m representing my country. I have a voice. I’m standing with Ukraine. I’m standing, I have my position in this war. What is Russian government or Russian soldiers are doing on our land is really, really terrible.

“For us, it’s just our position in this, and it touches many different areas. It touches sport, it touches acting, it touches all different areas. So, you know, we are all united, Ukrainians. And this is our position.”

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