Mocked for not shaking hands with Belarusian opponent, Lesia Tsurenko writes: “On the eve of the new year, my friend returned from Russian captivity after 1.5 years. Lost 55 kilograms of body weight and with an infection in his legs, but the main thing is that he is alive.”

by marketrent

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  2. Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko lost to Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 6-0, 6-0 on Friday, exiting the Australian Open. She did not shake hands with Sabalenko, a gesture that angered some observers.

    From tennis correspondent [Eleanor Crooks](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/australian-open-lesia-tsurenko-aryna-sabalenka-score-b2481321.html):

    • At the end of the match there was no handshake, as has been standard between Ukrainian players and those from Russia and Belarus since the start of the war nearly two years ago, although the pair did both put their hands up to acknowledge each other.

    • “It’s very hard for me,” Tsurenko told reporters about going up against Russian and Belarusian players.

    • “I know where they’re from, this is another reminder for me and it’s painful,” she said. “They’re part of that … war machine hurting my country and my people. This is tough for me but I’m trying to find happiness in everything that I do and go and hit the yellow ball.”

    • “I don’t feel like I really care about how I finish the match, what is the score. I care more about the fact I can be here and I can remind the world that the war is still on, I care about the fact that I can earn some money and I can donate and I can help other people.”

  3. Shake their hand and plow the other fist into their face. No peace and no safety for terrorists.

  4. Over 400 ukr athletes have been killed since February 2022. russia has targeted and destroyed over 3,000 hospitals, 2,000 schools, razed Mariupol, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and other towns and cities down to the ground, flooded huge swaths of land and russia continues to target civilians and civilian infrastructure. And people are mortally offended and “angered” over a handshake?! There’s priorities for you . . .

  5. For the non metric here, 55KG is 120lb. A ridiculous amount of weight to lose.

  7. My humble apologies on behalf of my country🇦🇺.

  8. Lesia was right in her approach and in her messages.

    Why spectators don’t get this is beyond me.

  9. Lesia, you did the right thing!!! You are a hero!! You are brave like Ukraine!!!!

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