Ukrainian tennis player Lyudmyla Kichenok explains refusal to shake Mladenovic’s hand due to threats
Pravda Ukraine
Ukrainian tennis player Lyudmyla Kichenok explained her refusal to shake hands with French tennis player Kristina Mladenovic at the Australian Open tournament, stating that after accidentally hitting Mladenovic with the ball, the French player made a threatening remark.
Source: Kichenok in an exclusive interview with Champion, a sports news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company
Quote: “I’ve already reported this to the WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] and hope you’ll help raise awareness about it as well. However, I don’t think it’s right to shake hands with someone who threatens me. After I accidentally hit her with the ball and apologised repeatedly, she came to the net and said, ‘Watch out next time’. I don’t believe it’s necessary to shake her hand after that. If she can’t handle losing properly and resorts to threats, I think that’s unacceptable in our sport,” Kichenok said.
She also addressed the incident publicly on her Instagram.
Quote: “I would like to clarify the situation that has happened in my third round at the Australian Open match against Kristina Mladenovic. [I was] publicly accused of bad sportsmanship. I would like to say my word. I received a very direct threat from my opponent during the match after unintentionally hitting her with a tennis ball. The response to my numerous apologies was: ‘You watch out next time’. I don’t consider appropriate the act of respect like shake of hands in the end of the match with people who use verbal threats [sic]. Period,” Kichenok said.
Background:
- Kichenok exited the Australian Open at the 1/8 final stage of the doubles draw, losing to the duo of Mladenovic/Shuai in a straight-set match.
- During the traditional post-match handshake at the net, Kichenok avoided making contact with Mladenovic. Although the French tennis player extended her hand, the Ukrainian ignored it, quickly shaking hands with Zhang and leaving the court.
- Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai reached the final at the US Open last season, where they were defeated by Lyudmyla Kichenok and Latvia’s Jeļena Ostapenko.
- Additionally, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina ended her participation in the Australian Open singles draw last night.
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