Sabalenka snubbed again

Aryna Sabalenka smacked a forehand winner to reach the French Open semifinals for the first time, then strode forward. Placing both hands atop the net tape, she leaned forward and stared directly at Elina Svitolina, her Ukrainian opponent.

Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion whose nation, Belarus, helped Russia invade Ukraine to begin a war that now is in its 17th month, knew that Svitolina would not participate in the usual postmatch handshake. Like other players from Ukraine, including Sabalenka’s first-round opponent at Roland Garros last week, Svitolina has avoided that traditional greeting after any match against someone from Russia or Belarus, for obvious reasons.

Although not, apparently, obvious to the second-seeded Sabalenka in that moment; she explained – while speaking with the media after avoiding news conferences after the preceding two contests – that she went to the net out of ‘‘instinct’’.

Nor, apparently, obvious to some members of the crowd for

Sabalenka’s 6-4 6-4 victory, because there was a smattering of boos directed at Svitolina afterward, thinking she was breaching tennis etiquette, not taking a stand related to what is happening in her country.

When she saw Sabalenka standing there after the match, Svitolina said, ‘‘My initial reaction ... was like, ’What are you doing?’’

Asked whether Sabalenka might have inflamed the situation by waiting at the net, Svitolina replied: ‘‘Yeah, I think so, unfortunately.’’

In the semifinals, Sabalenka will play unseeded Karolina Muchova, of the Czech Republic, a 7-5 6-2 winner over 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Sabalenka returned to the standard Q-and-A setting with reporters, after skipping two such sessions because, she said, she ‘‘did not feel safe’’ after being asked about Belarus and Ukraine at her news conference last week – which was attended by a journalist from Ukraine who now is no longer at the tournament – and wanted to protect her ‘‘mental health and well-being.’’

Sabalenka said she did feel safe now, ‘‘probably because I had a few days to switch off’’ and because ‘‘nobody’s putting words in my mouth.’’

Meanwhile in the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic fought back from dropping a set for the first time in the tournament to beat Karen Khachanov 4-6 7-6 (0) 6-2 6-4to reach his 45th career grand slam semifinal.

Roger Federer holds the men’s record of 46 appearances in the final four of a major.

The No 3-seeded Djokovic will face No 1 Carlos Alcaraz next. Alcaraz, who beat Djokovic on clay at the Madrid Masters last year in their only previous encounter, beat No 5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 6-1 7-6 (5).

❏ New Zealand’s Michael Venus and his Canadian partner, Bianca Andreescu, reached the mixed doubles semifinals after a tense super tie-break win over seventh seeds Marta Kostyuk from Ukraine and Marcelo Arevalo from El Salvador.

In a match that lasted one hour, 30 minutes, Venus and Andreescu won 7-5 3-6 10-6.

Venus and Andreescu will face Nathaniel Lammons (US) and Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski for a place in the final.