Musa
Tensions were sky-high at Roland Garros last year when Aryna Sabalenka and Marta Kostyuk met in a highly anticipated first-round clash. But the drama didn’t end with the final point. After Sabalenka closed out a convincing win, the traditional post-match handshake never came — and the tennis world held its breath.
Kostyuk, standing firm in her stance over the war in Ukraine, walked past Sabalenka at the net without offering the customary gesture. The crowd booed, confusion buzzed, and social media did what it does best: exploded. But Sabalenka, far from rattled, did something unexpected — she walked calmly to the center of the court, bowed her head, and blew a kiss to the crowd.
It was a moment that said: “I hear the noise, but I’m not flinching.” Sabalenka later told press she understood why Kostyuk refused the handshake — and didn’t take it personally. “I get it. If she hates me, OK. I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said.
Rather than fire back or escalate tensions, Sabalenka turned the moment into a strange show of grace under pressure. Whether it was PR polish or genuine poise, fans and critics alike had something to chew on. Love her or loathe her, Sabalenka knows how to own the spotlight — even when the handshake doesn’t come.
In tennis, as in life, it’s not just how you win — it’s how you handle the drama after the final point. And Sabalenka? She handled it like a pro.
Musa
