{"id":515629,"date":"2026-03-05T08:53:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/515629\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T08:53:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:53:10","slug":"see-the-moment-tennis-star-elena-rybakina-moves-mans-unwanted-hand-off-her-body-after-winning-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/515629\/","title":{"rendered":"See the moment tennis star Elena Rybakina moves man’s unwanted hand off her body after winning tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unfolded after mixed doubles exhibition match at Indian Wells<\/p>\n

By ANDREW PRENTICE, SPORT REPORTER, AUSTRALIA<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 01:40 EST, 5 March 2026 | Updated: 03:16 EST, 5 March 2026 <\/p>\n

A man has come under fire from tennis fans after appearing to touch the body of\u00a0Kazakhstan star\u00a0Elena Rybakina during a trophy presentation \u2013 prompting her to move his hand away.<\/p>\n

The awkward incident unfolded at Indian Wells in California<\/a>, moments after the Australian Open<\/a> winner won a mixed doubles exhibition match with\u00a0Taylor Fritz.<\/p>\n

Rybakina, 26, and local favourite Fritz won the\u00a0Eisenhower Cup and were\u00a0awarded a cheque for $200,000.<\/p>\n

They were presented with individual trophies and\u00a0David Renker, senior vice president of Eisenhower Health, was seen putting his arm behind Rybakina at the presentation.<\/p>\n

The two-time Grand Slam champion was then spotted immediately nudging Renker’s hand away as the cameras kept rolling.<\/p>\n

As Rybakina turned to stare in his direction, Renker took a step backwards.<\/p>\n

Where are the WTA, Pam Shriver and the other woke pundits now. They allegedly care about Rybakina \ud83d\ude20 This old fella is clearly inappropriately touching Elena pic.twitter.com\/QTwSsgfiFD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Nick Ally \u271d\ufe0f (@nick_ally1986) March 4, 2026<\/a> \"A <\/p>\n

A man has come under fire from tennis fans after appearing to touch the body of Kazakhstan star Elena Rybakina during a trophy presentation at Indian Wells in the US<\/p>\n

\"In <\/p>\n

In awkward scenes, the two-time Grand Slam champion was spotted nudging Renker’s hand away as the cameras kept rolling<\/p>\n

\"World <\/p>\n

World number three Rybakina is yet to comment on the matter via her social media<\/p>\n

‘Looks awkward and completely off-balance,’ said one fan on Reddit.<\/p>\n

‘He (Renker) tried to do it twice. No need to feel bad for him,’ posted another.<\/p>\n

‘I just don’t think you have to go for the waist area for anyone. I think shoulder level is the way to go, regardless of gender,’ offered a third.<\/p>\n

Rybakina is yet to comment on the matter via her social media, instead posting a series of images with Fritz.<\/p>\n

It comes as the world No.3\u00a0addressed talk earlier this week of women potentially playing five-set matches during the second week at the four majors each year.<\/p>\n

As it stands, stars on the WTA tour receive the same prize money as their male counterparts on the ATP circuit – despite only playing best-of-three-set matches at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.<\/p>\n

‘I think it’s a huge [proposed] change, to be honest, even if it’s only second week,’ Rybakina told reporters.<\/p>\n

‘You start in one format and then it gets longer, so mentally you also need to be ready to play so many sets if it goes to that point.<\/p>\n

‘I also don’t think it would be interesting for the people [fans], because maintaining the level for so many sets is going to be quite difficult.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘As a player, I would say I wouldn’t want to play three out of five, to be honest.’<\/p>\n

Rybakina’s next opponent in the second round of the women’s singles at Indian Wells – often dubbed the fifth slam – is yet to be determined.<\/p>\n

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\n See the moment tennis star Elena Rybakina moves man’s unwanted hand off her body after winning tournament<\/p>\n