Updated
In a week where the off-court behaviour of players has dominated headlines at the Australian Open, Serena Williams and Elina Svitolina have given a reminder of what sport should really be about.
Key points:
- Serena Williams consoled Dayana Yastremska after she was in tears
- Elina Svitolina offered Zhang Shuai a sports drink after their three-set match
- Svitolina fought back from a set down to beat Zhang
As Williams approached the net following her comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska on Rod Laver Arena, she found her 18-year-old opponent in tears.
Williams had dominated her opponent, breaking the world number 59’s serve on five occasions.
But in a beautiful moment, the 23-time major singles winner consoled Yastremska at the net, offering some words of encouragement.
“You did amazing. You did so well. You did amazing,” Williams told Yastremska.
“Don’t cry, you did really well.”
Williams’s kind act followed another scene of outstanding sportsmanship.
Svitolina, like her Chinese opponent Zhang Shuai, was out on her feet after coming from a set down to win an epic three-set match on Rod Laver Arena lasting two hours and 55 minutes.
The on-court heat was severe, with both players struggling with the conditions throughout the third-round match.
After clinching a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory, Svitolina shook hands and embraced Shuai at the net and moments later walked over to the Chinese world number 42, who was sitting exhausted in her courtside seat.
The Ukrainian offered Shuai a sports drink and the pair shared a friendly chat, as the crowd applauded enthusiastically.
Svitolina, the world number seven, explained there was more to life than tennis.
“I think [a] tennis match is a tennis match,” she said.
“You finish the match. Of course everyone wants to win as bad as the other person, but it’s done.
“She’s a very nice person. I played with her in Tie Break Tens and we had a good time. We practice sometimes.
“So, it’s not only about tennis here. I think it’s very important to be a person and to be open. That’s what I am.
“It’s not like a big deal for me but when someone is hurting, it’s normal to help. It’s not only about tennis, I’d say.”
Svitolina described the conditions on court for both players as oppressive, despite the mild weather predicted for Melbourne on Saturday.
“It was great fight today, I think for both of us,” she said.
“I think we left everything on court. It was very hot, actually. Last night when I checked the weather, it was 20 degrees max, so I didn’t really expect it was going to be that hot.”
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