PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Muchova are in the French Open semifinals for the first time.The second-seeded Sabalenka overpowered Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday to set up a semifinal against the unseeded Muchova.
The Czech beat 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 7-5, 6-2.Muchova and Sabalenka had never progressed beyond the third round in Paris.Svitolina was booed by some sections of the crowd because she snubbed the Australian Open champion after the final point, instead of shaking her hand at the net.Sabalenka walked up to the net, and leaned on the top of it with both hands, looking at Svitolina as she walked.
Svitolina did not look in her direction and went straight to the sideline.Sabalenka is from Belarus, and Svitolina — playing in her first major since becoming a mother — is from Ukraine.
Belarus aided Russia in its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the war continues. Like other players from Ukraine, including Sabalenka’s first-round opponent last week, Svitolina has not been shaking hands with players from Belarus or Russia after matches.Sabalenka’s all-risk tennis paid dividends despite 37 unforced errors.