Dolgopolov: Sabalenka Mocks Ukraine As Russia Attacks Us
Aleksandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine watched yesterday’s women’s French Open quarterfinal between Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina from a distance since he has been serving as a soldier in Ukraine’s defense against Russian threats for months.
He felt awful seeing Sabalenka waiting at the net for Svitolina to shake her hand when she knew it would never happen.
After speaking with the media, the Belarusian remarked, “It was instinctive because I always do it.”
The tennis star from Minsk, who is close to her country’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, must convince Dolgpolov of this.
“It was really disgusting.”
“While Russia is bombing us, with the help of the mini dictator, she is making fun of what is happening in Ukraine.”
Dolgpolov
At Roland-Garros, two Ukrainian tennis players declined to shake Sabalenka’s hand; the local fans jeered the Ukrainian players, who made a beeline for the locker rooms.
The justification from Aryna Sabalenka
After a handshake snub, Svitolina criticizes Sabalenka “My statement was clear.”
A shift in perception of the 25-year-old may result from her first public criticism of Belarusian President Lukashenko.
After defeating Svitolina, she stated,
“I don’t support the war; I don’t support Lukashenko right now.”
“I said it many times; I’m not supporting the war. I don’t want my country to be involved in any conflict. I said it many times, and you know where I stand. You have my position. You have my answer. I don’t want sports to involve politics because I’m a tennis player. If I wanted to be political, I wouldn’t be here.”
