Tennis players refuse to shake hands amid citizenship change

There was controversy at the Charleston Open 2026 after a handshake refusal between Polina Kudermetova and Oleksandra Oliynykova.

The pair met in a round of 64 clash at the Athea Gibson Club Court, with Kudermetova prevailing 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 after more than two-and-a-half hours of action.

Tennis is a sport of fair play and sportsmanship and the etiquette includes a post-match interaction or acknowledgement that has been a tradition for a number of years.

However, it is not mandatory or forced in the rulebook and so after Tuesday's match, Kudermetova and Oliynykova declined to shake hands following the contest.

The lack of handshake was not a spur of the moment decision, however, as a message on the screens informed spectators that there would be no gesture of respect.

"The players will not shake hands at the conclusion of this match,” the message read.

“We appreciate your respect for both athletes following the match.”

As footage showed online, both players did shake hands with the umpire but then walked away from one another. The handshake snub appears to be politically-driven, with Kudermetova from Russia and Oliynykova hailing from Ukraine.

Ukrainian players have regularly turned down handshakes with those connected to Russia and Belarus ever since the invasion engineered by Vladimir Putin.

Oliynykova has adopted the stance, even with Kudermetova no longer representing Russia after switching international allegiance to Uzbekistan.

After being two points from defeat, Polina Kudermetova moves past Oleksandra Oliynykova 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in Charleston.

An on-screen message informed fans there’d be no handshake. Kudermetova changed her citizenship from Russia to Uzbekistan late last year. pic.twitter.com/xnErWBXbxe

— Christian's Court (@christianscourt) March 31, 2026

Kudermetova was one of many Russian athletes to change flags in 2026, following on from Kamilla Rakhimova and Maria Timofeeva and the move saw her become the second-ranked Uzbekistani female player in the world.

Her sister Kamilla still represents Russia and did not agree with the decision. Speaking in January, she said: "Frankly, it’s a sensitive topic for me. I don’t approve of her decision; she didn’t consult anyone—it was a personal choice.

"I believe her motivation to change sports nationality is both economic and the desire to qualify for the Olympics.

"As a Russian athlete, it was difficult for her to reach a high ranking. But as part of Uzbekistan, she could achieve third or even second place in the ranking.”