The drive-by handshake is about as commonplace on the women's Tour as the bathroom break.
But Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, a 28-year-old from the Czech Republic who upset Li Na and Caroline Wozniacki on her way to the Wimbledon quarter-finals this summer, would have none of it from 20-year-old Elina Svitolina after their first-round match in Tokyo Monday.
The image seems to be a little faster than real time. But only a little. And the funniest thing was that Svitolina – who was the WINNER – hardly seemed the least bit fazed by it, just accepted it and carried on with her day – which means she might not have gotten the point.
Zahlavova Strycova has been a shining example for her peers of late. Look at these moments from Arthur Ashe Kids' Day on the weekend before the U.S. Open.
She was practicing on one of the field courts as the official festivities for the kids were wrapping up. But approached by one of the dads of these two adorable girls, she took the time move to an adjacent court to hit a few balls with them and pose for photos.
There were plenty of players taking part in the Kids' Day festivities on court with the kids, and they were great. But we wandered around most of the day and this was the first example we saw of a little special treatment. It took just 10 minutes, but those two adorable little girls will never forget it.
The Czech player has probably heretofore been known for the challenge in pronouncing her name, and for a fair bit of emo and drama on court. In her 12th year on tour, she's turning into a role model for truth and justice. Who knew? It hasn't always been so. She's certainly had her moments.
Just for comparison's sake, here are a few classics from the "drive-by handshake" archives.
We start with the gold standard, laid on Daniela Hantuchova by the now-retired Patty Schnyder in Luxembourg in 2007. That Schnyder's now ex-husband Rainer Hoffman added a little extra by kicking Hantuchova's water bottle was a little over the top, even for Schnyder.
Lest you think we're just picking on the ladies - t'ain't so!
We begin with the gold standard of the genre: Oscar Hernandez and Daniel Koellerer, on a clay-court somewhere in South America (ALERT: Some profanity from the Spaniard at the end)
No post of this nature would be complete without the non-handshake from Zahlavova Strycova's countryman, Tomas Berdych, after his contentious win over Nicolas Almagro of Spain at the Australian Open (h/t to commenter Andrew).
Berdych took issue with Almagro drilling him in the arm when he was up at the net earlier in the match – a bit borderline, but still well within the area of "fair game." Berdych didn't do a "drive-by"; he did a "wave-by."
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