A doubles battle at the Australian Open turns controversial as Lyudmyla Kichenok accuses Kristina Mladenovic of verbal threats during their match.
Controversy erupted at the 2025 Australian Open during a women’s doubles match when Ukrainian player Lyudmyla Kichenok accused her opponent Kristina Mladenovic of threatening her following an accidental hit with the ball. Kichenok, visibly shaken after the alleged incident, refused to partake in the customary post-match handshake and later addressed the matter on her Instagram. “Threats and verbal aggression have no place in tennis,” Kichenok wrote, urging for greater attention to sportsmanship and the mental toll such interactions can have on players. Kristina Mladenovic, a former world No. 1 in doubles and two-time Grand Slam champion in the discipline, has commented on the accusations.READ NEXT: Ben Shelton: “Why can’t interviews build us up?”
