Oleksandra Oliynykova makes first WTA quarterfinal after refusing to shake opponent’s hand

Oleksandra Oliynykova continued her breakout start to the 2026 season, following up her star turn at the 2026 Australian Open with a maiden WTA quarterfinal at the Transylvania Open.

While there, she continued to take a principled stand on behalf of Ukrainians fighting an ongoing invasion from Russia and Belarus, refusing to shake the hand of vanquished opponent Anna Bondar, 6-4, 6-4.

Oliynykova, who played an entertaining first round against defending champion Madison Keys in Melbourne—and turned heads with her audacious temporary face tattoos—announced in a statement that her decision made prior to the match stemmed from Bondar’s participation in a 2022 Russian tournament.

The North Palmyra Trophies, which took place six months after Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, was sponsored by Gazprom, an oil company Oliynykova called “one of the key financial pillars of Russia’s war machine.

“These are the same funds Russia uses to kill and maim Ukrainian women and children, and to destroy our families and cities,” said the 25-year-old.

“From a moral standpoint, accepting Gazprom money in December 2022 is equivalent to playing in Nazi Germany in 1941 and being paid with property taken from victims of death camps. The same evil—just 80 years later.”

Oliynykova was open to shaking Bondar’s hand provided the Hungarian issued an apology, but none was issued and the Ukrainian advanced over the No. 8 seed in straight sets.

She won her first WTA main-draw match in Cluh Napoca earlier this week, ralling from a set down to dismiss Mayar Sherif. This result is projected to raise Oliynykova into a career-high ranking of No. 78—though she could move even higher with a win in the quarterfinals.

First into the last eight, the unseeded Oliynykova awaits the winner of the second-round clash between No. 4 seed Wang Xinyu and either Elena-Gabriela Ruse or Rebecca Masarova.