10 coldest post-match handshakes in women's tennis ft. Venus Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska
Venus Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska were involved in some of the coldest post-match handshakes between female tennis players. Emotions are always involved in the sport and almost every player gives their all in each match they play, hoping to come out on top. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they fail.
One is naturally dejected when they lose matches and at times like these, being gracious and a good sport is not an easy task to accomplish, especially after they have given their all.
Many players manage to be gracious and hug their opponents after matches despite being defeated. However, there have been some who haven't exactly been good sports after losing matches. As a result, they have engaged in post-match handshakes that aren't pleasant while also arguing with their opponents.
On that note, let’s take a look at 10 of the coldest post-match handshakes in women's tennis
Honorable Mentions: Steffi Graf vs Gabriela Sabatini, 1991 Pan Pacific Open.
#10 Venus Williams vs Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, 2-15 Qatar Open
Venus Williams and Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova met in the second round of the Qatar Open in 2015. The match was a tightly-contested one with some quality tennis from both players. Venus Williams won the match 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(5) to book her place in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
After the end of the match, both players went to the net for the customary handshake and Zahlavova-Strycova gave the former World No. 1 a stare, which prompted her to say:
"Was that look for something?"
The Czech responded by saying well done to Venus Williams, and the latter then said:
"Okay good."
#9 Yulia Putintseva vs Barbora Strycova, 2019 Australian Open
Barbora Strycova had a number of frosty moments with her opponents during her tennis career and one such incident came at the Australian Open in 2019. Seeded 32nd in the tournament, the Czech lost to Yulia Putintseva in the opening round.
The Kazakh produced some very good tennis to win 6-4, 7-6(1) and seal her place in the second round of the competition. But arguably the most notable moment of the match was the handshake.
I KNEW STRYCOVA AND PUTINTSEVA WON'T DISSAPPOINT ME! HANDSHAKE OF THE YEAR https://t.co/hCo1PHmGnS
Putintseva and Strycova shook hands and were seen arguing before the former went on to shake hands with the chair umpire.
#8 Aryna Sabalenka vs Karolina Pliskova, 2021 National Bank Open
Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Pliskova locked horns in the semifinals of last year's National Bank Open in Montreal. The Czech was in good form and gave a superb display of tennis to win 6-3, 6-4 and book her place in the final of the tournament.
After the match, with Pliskova waiting to shake her opponent's hand, Sabalenka threw her racket as she approached the net and barely tapped the Czech's hand without even looking at her.
The Belarusian eventually apologized for her behavior, saying that she lost her cool in the moment.
#7 Angelique Kerber vs Bianca Andreescu, 2019 Miami Open
2019 was by far the best year of Bianca Andreescu's young tennis career so far. The Canadian won the US Open and the Indian Wells Open and managed to defeat several top players throughout the year.
One of them was Angelique Kerber, who Andreescu beat twice. After defeating the German in the final of the Indian Wells Open, the Canadian met her in the third round of the Miami Open.
During the match, Andreescu took a medical timeout and play was halted by a few minutes, which evidently did not please Kerber. The then-teenager eventually won the match and Kerber called her "the biggest drama queen ever" while shaking her hand.
However, the three-time Grand Slam champion later congratulated Andreescu on the win on Twitter.
Tough battle out there last night @miamiopen! Congrats to Bianca @Bandreescu_ for a great performance and a well deserved win. 👍 https://t.co/IpXzAJRNpi
#6 Jelena Ostapenko vs Yulia Putintseva, 2016 China Open
A list like this would be incomplete without an incident between Jelena Ostapenko and Yulia Putintseva. Both players are animated characters who have often had a lot of dramatic moments on the court.
Ostapenko and Putintseva first locked horns in the opening round of the 2016 China Open. Both players played some fine tennis and it was the Kazakh who came out on top, winning 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 to seal her place in the second round of the competition.
Putintseva was wildly celebrating as both players approached the net for their post-match handshake. Ostapenko shook her opponent's hand without even looking at her, and her handshake with the chair umpire was a similar one too.
#5 Jelena Ostapenko vs Naomi Broady, 2016 ASB Classic
Jelena Ostapenko and Naomi Broady played out a thrilling clash at the 2016 ASB Classic. The match saw some brilliant tennis being played along with a dramatic moment where the Latvian threw her racket towards a ballboy.
While Ostapenko said it was accidental, Broady felt that her opponent should be disqualified and even broke into tears while arguing. However, she did not go over towards the ballboy to see whether he was alright or not.
The match eventually resumed and Broady won it 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic. After the match, the two had a heated exchange at the net during the handshake, with the Brit pointing out to her opponent that she hit the ballboy with a racket.
#4 Jelena Ostapenko vs Ajla Tomljanovic, 2021 Wimbledon
Jelena Ostapenko appears for the third and final time on this list due to a post-match incident between herself and Ajla Tomljanovic at Wimbledon last year. The two locked horns in the third round of the grasscourt Major and the match went into the third set.
Ostapenko took a medical timeout during the fourth set, when Tomljanovic was leading 4-0. The Australian was far from pleased with her opponent and told the chair umpire that she was faking her injury.
Tomljanovic eventually won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the tournament. After the match, Ostapenko explained to the Australian that she did not fake her injury and called her 'disrespectful'. Tomljanovic retorted by saying:
"You're one to talk."
#3 Camila Giorgi vs Maria Sakkari, 2019 US Open
Camila Giorgi is another player who is no stranger to giving cold handshakes. The most notable incident involving the Italian came at the 2019 US Open when she faced Maria Sakkari in the opening round.
The Greek was dominant throughout the match and produced some spectacular tennis to thrash her opponent 6-1, 6-0. The Italian shook the current World No. 3's hand and appeared to push it aggressively.
#2 Agnieszka Radwanska vs Sabine Lisicki, 2013
Wimbledon
Agnieszka Radwanska suffered heartbreak at Wimbledon in 2012 as she was beaten 1-6, 7-5, 2-6 by Serena Williams. The Pole was eager to win the grasscourt Major the following year and with Serena out, her chances were high.
Radwanska played some terrific tennis throughout the competition to reach the semifinals where she faced Sabine Lisicki. Both players won a set each and the match would go to three sets.
The third set saw some spectacular tennis being played and eventually, Lisicki won 9-7 to reach her maiden Grand Slam final. Radwanska went towards the net and just lent her hand forward without even looking at her opponent.
#1 Daniela Hantuchova vs Patty Schnyder, 2007
Fortis Championships
Many might wonder how the Radwanska-Lisicki incident is not at the top of this list about the coldest handshakes in women's tennis. The Pole was beaten to the top by Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, who had a very disgraceful post-match moment after losing to Daniela Hantuchova in Luxembourg in 2007.
Both players produced some scintillating tennis throughout the match and the Slovak emerged victorious, winning 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.
As both players approached the net to shake hands, Schnyder pretty much slapped Hantuchova's hand before walking off. The Swiss did not even shake the hands of the chair umpire.