Alexandr Dolgopolov rips Aryna Sabalenka over 'disgusting' act versus Elina Svitolina

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Alexander Dolgopolov called Aryna Sabalenka's act "disgusting and pathetic" after the Belarusian went to the net waiting for a handshake after the match against Elina Svitolina. After handing Ukraine's Svitolina a 6-4 6-4 loss in the French Open, Sabalenka went to the net for a handshake despite Svitolina making it clear there would not be one after the match.

When asked about that scene, Sabalenka defended herself by saying she "instinctively" went to the net. "Oh yeah, that surely was as disgusting as it gets. While Russia blows up dam, with the help of her mini dictator friend, the 'unsafe on press conference, no comments drama queen' stands on purpose at the net, making fun of everything that Ukraine is going thru.

Pathetic," Dolgopolov tweeted.

Oh yeah, that surely was as disgusting as it gets.
While russia blows up dam, with the help of her mini dictator friend, the “ unsafe on press conference, no comments drama queen” stands on purpose at the net, making fun of everything that Ukraine is going thru.

Pathetic https://t.co/tgl1uYFvFl — Alex Dolgopolov (@TheDolgo) June 6, 2023

Dolgopolov slams Sabalenka over 'a disgusting' act against Sabalenka

After the match, Svitolina was asked whether Sabalenka's action only inflamed the tension.

"Yeah, I think so, unfortunately. I don't know why she was waiting, because my statements were clear enough about the handshake. I was expecting that. Whoever in this situation loses, I guess, gets booed, so I was expecting that.

It was not a surprise for me," Svitolina said after the match. Also, Svitolina was asked to reveal what was going through her mind when she saw Sabalenka at the net waiting for a handshake. "What are you doing? I made my position clear.

Maybe she's (Sabalenka) not on social media during the tournament, but it is pretty clear. She played Marta as well the first round. So is quite simple," Svitolina said. Meanwhile, Sabalenka claimed that she definitely didn't intend to provoke Svitolina or anything like that.

"I don't know. It just was an instinct like I always do after all my matches," Sabalenka said of the situation. Svitolina and other Ukrainian players haven't been shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian players for quite some time and that likely won't change for a while.