24 January 2024 at 08:28
Ukrainian 16-year-old apologizes after shaking hands with Russian: – Won’t happen again
The Ukrainian tennis player Jeljzaveta Kotliar has received criticism for taking a Russian competitor by the hand in the Australian Open. Now the 16-year-old lies flat.
Kotliar met Russian Vlada Mintcheva in the 1st round of the junior tournament, and after the match the Ukrainian gave Mintcheva a handshake to congratulate her on her advancement.
The choice has been met with displeasure by the Ukrainian Tennis Federation, which in a statement called it an “inappropriate mistake”. They emphasize that Ukrainian tennis players should not shake hands with Russian opponents as long as there is a war in the country.
– She is only sixteen years old and has little experience in participating in major tournaments. She did as she usually does, and she did not realize that the opponent represented a country that has chosen to attack her own. It was clearly a mistake and she is very sorry for it. She assures that it will not happen again, Kotliar’s father tells AFP.
The 16-year-old is supported by Australian Open sensation Dajana Jastremska, who reached the semi-finals on Wednesday.
– She is young and does not have much experience. The best can happen. I can’t judge her when I don’t know what was going through her mind. I’m sure she was just a little confused, Jastremska said. (NTB)