Victoria Azarenka wasn’t impressed after seeing an X post highlighting the handshake between her and Jelena Ostapenko instead of the actual match and tennis they delivered. On Friday, former world No. 1 Azarenka edged out 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 6-3 3-6 7-5 in the Brisbane International quarterfinal.
On Azarenka’s game point in the ninth game of the third set, Ostapenko believed that the ball bounced twice before the Belarusian managed to return it. But chair umpire Julie Kjendlie didn’t think so as she remained silent and Azarenka won the point to go 5-4 up.
Ostapenko then had a moment of rage and frustration, in which she called Kjendlie “blind” and harshly told her that she didn’t want her ever again umpiring her match. After losing the match, Ostapenko seemingly didn’t give a very warm handshake to Azarenka before just making it past umpire Kjendlie, without shaking the chair umpire’s hand.
Jelena Ostapenko© Getty Images Sport – Bradley Kanaris
“This is for the, I’m Just Here For The Handshake crowd,” a caption on X post read. After the match, Azarenka noticed the post and bluntly reacted: “There is an actual crowd like that? Sad… What an embarrassing post.” The post was deleted shortly after Azarenka’s comments.
There is an actual crowd like that? Sad…
What an embarrassing post https://t.co/ZvwJpuIMje— victoria azarenka (@vika7) January 5, 2024
Victoria Azarenka on X© Victoria Azarenka – X
Azarenka survives a thriller against Ostapenko
In the third set, Azarenka found herself down by a break after losing her service game in the fifth game. But after getting broken, Azarenka didn’t panic as the Belarusian managed to break back Ostapenko instantly in the sixth game to tie the set to three games apiece.
Victoria Azarenka© Getty Images Sport – Bradley Kanaris
After the ninth game in which Ostapenko had a meltdown, Azarenka had 0-30 on the Latvian’s serve and was two points away from the win. But Ostapenko managed to win the next four points and level the decider to five games apiece.
However, Azarenka once again remained calm and routinely served out the 11th game to go 6-5 up. In the 12th game, Azarenka was able to create a break point – which at the same time was a match point – and then convert it to seal a three-set win over Ostapenko in a two-and-a-half hours thriller.