Ukrainian tennis competitors have generally opted against handshakes with their Russian and Belarusian rivals since the onset of the conflict in their homeland. In addition, Russian and Belarusian players have participated as neutral competitors since 2022.

Svitolina has been vocal regarding the war and refrains from greeting Russian and Belarusian players at the net for a post-match handshake. This generated controversy when she defeated No. 9 seed Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round over the weekend.

The Russian prodigy Andreeva was aware that no handshake would occur, so she did not approach Svitolina at the net, choosing instead to head towards her bench and gather her belongings before exiting the court. Some spectators in the arena expressed their disapproval with boos, unaware of the reasons behind Andreeva's decision. Fans subsequently took to X (previously known as Twitter) to support her.

Tournament officials took measures to avert any potential booing at the conclusion of Sabalenka vs Svitolina on Thursday night, informing the crowd about the situation before the players entered the court.

“At the conclusion of the match, there will be no handshake between the participants. We appreciate your understanding,” the announcer stated.

Sabalenka and Svitolina also refrained from taking any joint photographs at the net prior to their semi-final encounter. The two-time former champion and the No. 12 seed each posed separately with the child mascot during the coin toss.

World No. 1 Sabalenka is chasing her fifth Grand Slam title, aiming for her third at Melbourne Park. The 27-year-old has reached three successive finals, losing to Madison Keys last year, and capturing the trophy in 2023 and 2024.

On the other hand, Svitolina is pursuing her first Grand Slam final appearance. This marks her fourth Major semi-final and her initial one at the Australian Open. She’s also ensured her return to the top 10 for the first time since prior to her break to welcome her first child in 2022.