Ukrainian tennis player Angelina Kalinina refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent after winning the semi-finals of the Rome Masters tournament in Italy, CNN reports..

" It’s no secret why I did this, because this country attacked Ukraine, ”Kalinina told reporters after the match against Russian Veronika Kudermetova.

Kudermetova, when asked about relations with Kalinina and the influence of “political overtones,” answered:.

" We are here and we love what we do here.. It doesn't matter what country you're from. We are athletes and all. We are here to play tennis.

"

Kalinina, ranked 47th in the world ranking, defeated Kudermetova, ranked 12th, in three sets.

A 26-year-old Ukrainian woman said that a bomb exploded near the tennis academy where her parents work in Kyiv. She also said that her grandparents had to leave Nova Kakhovka, her hometown, after the explosion at their house..

On May 11, Angelina Kalinina won the first match at the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome. She met with the Russian woman Anna Blinkova and also did not shake hands with the representative of the enemy country.