Ukrainian star Lesia Tsurenko’s reason for Aryna Sabalenka handshake snub following Aus Open clash

Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko has defended her decision not to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka after her thrashing in the second round, saying “I am trying to remind the world that the war is still on and people are still struggling”.

MELBOURNE, JANUARY 19, 2024: 2024 Australian Open Tennis. Lesia Tsurenko leaves the court after losing in straight sets to Aryna Sabalenka in their third round match on Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Mark Stewart

Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko declared her position of not shaking hands with her Russian and Belarusian opponents as “the right thing to do” to remind the world of the war in her country after brushing the gesture following her thumping from Aryna Sabalenka.

As she doubled down on her stance that Russian and Belarusian players should not be allowed to compete at this year’s Paris Olympic Games as it was “against fair play”, the No.28 seed revealed how “painful” it was to take to the court against those athletes.

Tsurenko also said she had lost respect for players who had opted to play in an exhibition event in Russia late last year, while saying it was “too late” for the tours to do more to raise awareness of the situation in the Ukraine.

The 34-year-old did not offer her hand to Belarusian Sabalenka after her 6-0 6-0 thumping from the defending Australian Open champion, only raising her hand slightly to acknowledge her opponent.

The pair had history entering the match after Tsurenko withdrew from her third-round clash with Sabalenka at Indian Wells last year moments before the pair were due to play.

Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko snubbed a handshake with Aryna Sabalenka.

Tsurenko later revealed she suffered a panic attack after reflecting on a conversation she had with WTA CEO Steve Simon days earlier, in which the two discussed his position on Russian and Belarusian players and the likelihood they would be allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics.

Asked about her position of not shaking hands, Tsurenko felt the world did not want to “talk about war” and said the stance was her way of ensuring a conversation about the events in her nation continued.

“It is a national position. I think if you want I can try to explain to you how it feels, but it is probably tough to explain if you are not part of the country that is in the war right now,” Tsurenko said.

“This is really the right thing to do (not to shake hands). This is another reminder that there is a war in my country.

“If you can just imagine (being) in my place or any other Ukrainian you would not have this question.

“This is the right thing to do and I do this for Ukraine and I think this is the right thing.

“People don’t want to talk about war. They don’t want to hear bad news.

“I am trying to remind the world that the war is still on and people are still struggling.

“It seems like the whole world is tired of hearing that. It is still going on and it’s a part of my life and other Ukrainians’ lives and we have to talk about it, we have to remind people about Ukraine and, of course, about all the other wars that are going on around the world and how unfair it is.”

Aryna Sabalen demolished her Ukrainian opponent 6-0 6-0.

Tsurenko added her position not shaking hands was also to highlight her view that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be allowed to compete at this year’s Olympics.

“The fact that we don’t shake hands with Russian and Belarusian (players) with this I also want to show that they should not be at the Olympic Games just because it’s against Olympic principals,” Tsurenko said.

“That is my opinion and this is against fair play and that should not happen during the active war.”

Sabalenka said she understood the position of her opponent at the end of the match, but felt Tsurenko had been respectful towards her.

“This situation (has been) happening for a long time on tour and I understand everyone’s position and I respect everyone’s position,” Sabalenka said.

“She was quite respectful. She said ‘Great play’. She didn’t shake my hand, but she was respectful to me, so I appreciate that.”

Tsurenko said she found it “painful” having to step out on court against Russian and Belarusian players while conflict continued in her country.

“It is very hard for me,” she said.

“I know where they are from. This is another reminder for me. This is painful. I just know that they are from that countries that invaded Ukraine.

“This is very tough for me. But I am trying to find some happiness in everything that I do and just go and hit (the) yellow ball, that’s all I try to do.”

Tsurenko revealed she had turned to a psychologist to help her find a way to cope with the events in Ukraine, while she continued to try to focus on tennis.

But she conceded the game was no longer as important to her as it once was.

“I worked a lot with a psychologist and it took me a few months to get some kind of recipe of how to live and how to continue playing,” Tsurenko said.

“With the fact that there is a war in my country, I feel that so many things that were so important for me anymore, like a tennis match.

“I don’t feel like I really care about how I finish the match, what is the score. I care more about the fact that I can be here and I can remind the world that the war is still on.

“I care about the fact that I can earn some money and I can donate and I can help other people.”

Lesia Tsurenko leaves the court after losing in straight sets to Aryna Sabalenka in their third round match on Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Mark Stewart

The former US Open quarter finalist said she had lost respect for players electing to play in the Russian exhibition tournament.

“In my opinion, the players, especially from Europe, should not take part in the propaganda of the tennis federation of the aggressor country and I think they should not take part in promotion of the biggest war sponsor like oil or gas company,” she said.

“Of course, I would like none of these events happened. I would like none of the players to go there.

“It is very painful for me, but people don’t understand.

“I used to be in a good relationship with a lot of Russian and Belarusian players, but not anymore just because it’s impossible.”

Asked if there was more the tours could do to keep the awareness about the Ukraine situation alive, Tsurenko said there could have been more done.

“I think it is quite too late,” she said.

“I think there were a lot of things the tour could do, they didn’t, so for me it is just too late.

“So many times I have got that question and I said ‘Why should I tell this? Let them think and maybe have their own ideas’. But unfortunately nothing really happened so it’s too late.”