Here is all you need to know about Yelyzaveta Kotliar including her bio, age, career, records and more
Tennis player Yelyzaveta Kotliar from Ukraine is under investigation in her home country for shaking hands with her Russian opponent after their match.
Who is Yelyzaveta Kotliar, bio, age, family, parents, nationality, tennis ranking
Her own tennis body criticised her for the action, which caused uproar in her war-torn nation. Reiterating its stance that “Ukrainian tennis players not hold handshakes with representatives of aggressor countries,” the Ukraine Tennis Federation described the event as “unpleasant.”
Following the initial attack on their nation by Moscow, Ukrainian tennis players have boycotted shaking hands with rivals from Belarus and Russia. Kotliar quickly expressed her regret, stating that she was “deeply sorry” for the incident.
MAKE UKRAINE HUMANE AGAIN: 16-year-old Ukrainian tennis player Yelyzaveta Kotliar reportedly faces charges in Ukraine after shaking hands with a Russian player following the Ukrainian girls' loss. The @Ukraine Ministry of Sports is said to have opened a case against her for… pic.twitter.com/URPjw3qdy2
— Lumumba Amin 🇺🇬 (@LumumbaAmin) January 22, 2024
Meanwhile, the teenager compatriot Yelyzaveta Kotliar of Ukraine, according to tennis star Dayana Yastremska, was perhaps “too emotional and confused” when shaking hands with a Russian opponent. After winning in Melbourne on Wednesday, Yastremska spoke with media about her quarterfinal victory saying:
“I think she’s still a little bit young. Not so experienced. It can happen with everyone.
She further said:
“I cannot judge her, because I don’t know what was in her head. So did she [do] this on purpose or not on purpose, I don’t know. But I’m sure that she stands by Ukraine, and I’m sure that she just got too emotional and confused.”
Who is Yelyzaveta Kotliar?
Yelyzaveta Kotliar is a 16-year-old tennis player from Ukraine. She faced criticism during the year’s first Grand Slam when she congratulated Mincheva following her defeat in the girls’ tournament’s opening round.
Current/Highest rank – singles: 1331. / 1162. Current/Highest rank – doubles: – / 1168
In an hour and ten minutes, Kotliar’s Russian opponent defeated her 2–6, 4-6 in the opening round of the girls’ singles division.
Konstantin Kotliar, Kotliar’s father, claimed his daughter was not thinking clearly under duress. He said:
She is only 16 years old and has no real experience of appearing in major competitions like Grand Slam tournaments, the pinnacle of both professional and youth tennis.”
He further said that she did the custom of shaking hands with the opposition after a game, not realising that behind the net was a representative of the nation that had invaded our country.
He continued:
It was definitely a mistake that she is deeply sorry (for) and assures that she will never allow anything like this again.”