Retiring Zanevska refuses handshake with Sabalenka

Afterwards the Odessa-born 30-year-old declined to shake Sabalenka’s hand in a gesture of solidarity with the country of her birth

Retiring Zanevska refuses handshake with Sabalenka

Maryna Zanevska

Ukraine-born Belgian player Maryna Zanevska brought the curtain down on her tennis career by snubbing a post-match handshake after losing to Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open on Tuesday.

Zanevska, who said before the tournament she would retire after her campaign in New York due to injury, bowed out after losing 6-3, 6-2 to second seed Sabalenka.

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Afterwards the Odessa-born 30-year-old declined to shake Sabalenka’s hand in a gesture of solidarity with the country of her birth.

Zanevska said she had opted not to shake Sabalenka’s hand after accusing the Australian Open champion of not “stepping up” since the conflict began.

“I know I’m representing Belgium but all my family are in Ukraine,” Zanevska told AFP. “I respect Aryna as a tennis player. She’s a great champion and hard worker.”

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