Elina Svitolina and the power of the handshake

"What Should I Have Done?" Victoria Azarenka reacts to crowd after no handshake with Svitolina

Due to the ongoing reprehensible war, the WTA respects the position of the Ukrainian athletes in foregoing the tradition of shaking opponents’ hands (from Russia and Belarus) at the end of a match. From a clarification issued by the WTA on Monday, following Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina’s sensational upset of Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round at Wimbledon

Countless tennis fans and pundits reacted to the WTA’s statement with a sigh translating roughly to, “This is a day late and a dollar short.” Many spectators, so busy living their own “best lives,” seem only vaguely aware of the carnage being inflicted on Ukraine by Russia (with help from Belarus). They have showered catcalls and boos on players from both the invading and invaded nations foregoing the traditional post-match handshake.

The gesture was conceived by Ukrainian players, as a protest against the Russian invasion, and for allowing players from the aggressor nations to compete on the tour as if all were normal.

On Monday, Victoria Azarenka was the target of the boo birds, with many probably thinking that the Belarusan was just upset at having lost to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. The reality was more nuanced: Azarenka knew Svitolina wouldn’t shake hands, so she just left the court to pack her bags.

“She doesn't want to shake hands with Russian, Belarusian people,” the former WTA No. 1 told reporters. “I respected her decision. What should I have done?”

Fair enough. But Azarenka didn’t miss a beat as she continued, “But this conversation about shaking hands is not a life-changing conversation. So if you guys want to keep talking about it, bring it up, make it a big deal, headlines, whatever it is, keep going. I thought it was a great tennis match.”

Okay. It was a great tennis match—Svitolina winning is 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9). But that’s not all it was, and under the circumstances denying that this conversation about handshakes could be life-changing is simply callous. “Talking about it” is one of the things that the press in an open, democratic society—that leaves out Belarus—does. The goal is less changing lives than saving them.

Many people, including Svitolina, were disappointed when, due largely to pushback from the ATP and WTA, Wimbledon rescinded its 2022 ban of Russian and Belarusian players in the interest of protecting the integrity of the game. Then the law of unintended consequences kicked in. It now seems like the reversal may do more to rally support for Ukraine than did a ban than left the affected players—along with the issue of Ukraine—out of sight, out of mind. The handshake controversy helps keep the horror and atrocities committed by the Russians in public view.

The thoughts of players from the aggressor nations in recent days have been interesting. “I actually liked her (Azarenka’s) response in the press conference, she respected the decision of Svitolina, about not shaking hands,” said Daniil Medvedev, the Russian No. 3 seed. Andrey Rublev, another ATP player, reminded reporters of his well-documented anti-war stance saying, “I did [said] everything very clear already many times.”

True, the Russian and Belarussan players have mostly mouthed feel-good cliches about being anti-war, without mentioning this specific war. That’s borderline contemptible, but it seems clear that these national heroes from Russia and Belarus are afraid of Vladimir Putin and his minions. Instead of blowing the trumpet of patriotism, they’re hiding under the massage tables.

Wimbledon has done an excellent job in hosting and giving fair treatment to players from the invader nations, but with firm protocols and rules designed to squelch anything that can even remotely be construed as pro-Russian propaganda. At the same time, the All England Club has welcomed the stressed Ukrainian players with palpable warmth and support, including large-scale material support. The club’s mea culpa for letting down the pro-boycott crowd has been underwriting the expenses of every Ukrainian competitor, including the full cost of accommodations during the entire the grass-court swing, including qualifying events and Wimbledon.

“This has been a huge help for us,” Svitolina said, “because a lot of players right now, they had to relocate completely. They are paying for their family, for their friends somewhere in Europe to find a new home. Any help is really a huge help for us because our expenses are much more these days than I guess the years before the war.”

Ukraine has become a focal point at Wimbledon, and that’s a great thing. The WTA’s long overdue clarification of the handshake issue also directed attention to the suffering of the Ukrainians. Wimbledon’s rule forbidding flexing by pro-Russian players or fans were welcomed.

“I think everybody should be against the war, WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek told reporters. “It's logical for me. Looking at what happened last year, I think it's pretty fair that they [Wimbledon] ask for that.”

But the most potent weapon in Ukraine’s battle to win hearts and minds has been Svitolina herself. She has been under blazing pressure as she marches through the draw, her Wimbledon journey a mission of mercy for her homeland. She has played just 14 main-tour matches since giving birth, but on Wimbledon’s lawns she has defeated, in succession, Venus Williams, Elise Mertens, Sofia Kenin, Azarenka and Swiatek.

ESPN analyst Chris Evert was nearly driven to tears in her post-match tribute to the mental and emotional strength of Svitolina at such a calamitous time for her family, friends, nation. Evert’s heartfelt homage served as a wake-up call to many, including fellow commentators across various platforms. Svitolina has emerged as as a true heroine and her remarkable journey these past 10 days may end up with a battle for the trophy with Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka told reporters before the tournament that she would not take questions about “politics,” as if what is happening in Ukraine is a debate over tax rates or unemployment statistics rather than the attempt to absorb or exterminate an autonomous nation and its people.

Win or lose in that match, could Svitolina be blamed for not trotting up to the net with a big smile for the traditional handshake?