In the round of 16 of the Australian Open 2026the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina beat the Russian Mirra Andreeva by 6-2 and 6-4, ensuring their place in the quarterfinals, in an outcome with controversy over a gesture which generated immediate reactions from the public in Melbourne.
After losing the match, the 18-year-old He walked quickly to the chair umpire’s chair, without stopping to greet his rival.then leaving directly for the locker room area, but not before raising his hand to greet the public. The situation caused boos among those present in the last shift of the Rod Laver Arena when it was interpreted as a lack of sportsmanship.
However, the situation has its political and social context: since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Svitolina has decided not to shake hands with Russian or Belarusian rivals in protest. This posture is known on the circuit and several players have adapted their behavior at the end of matches to avoid uncomfortable situations.
On this occasion, one of the greatest promises of the women’s circuit, executioner of Donna Vekic (72nd), Maria Sakkari (53rd) and Elena-Gabriela Ruse (79th) in the previous phases, chose to go directly to the referee’s chair, avoiding any visual or physical contact with the 26-year-old native of Odessa.
Far from entering into controversy, the former world number 3, owner of 19 titles at the highest level, celebrated her victory with enthusiasm: “It’s incredible, I am very happy with tonight’s performance.. I had to fight a lot and fight until the last point. I expected a tough battle and many exchanges. Today I tried to move my feet very precisely, be very focused, find the small weak points in her game and take advantage of them.”
In the next round, Svitolina will face the American Coco Gauffnumber three in the WTA ranking, for a place in the semifinals of the Australian Open.
The Australian Open 2026 can be followed live on the Disney+ Premium Plan screen.
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