The Albany Gazette - Shnaider beats Oliynykova at French Open

The 23rd-ranked Shnaider won 7-5, 6-1 to go into the fourth round after the build-up to the match had been dominated by Oliynykova, who is ranked 65th, accusing her opponent of "taking money" from a "company financing war crimes".

The players did not shake hands after the match.

During her post-match press conference on Thursday after she had booked her meeting with Shnaider, Oliynykova brandished her phone to show photos of Shnaider playing in an event sponsored by Russian state energy company Gazprom and also some of the Russian's social-media 'likes'.

"This is her on the picture on the Gazprom tournament," said Oliynykova.

"Gazprom is a company which is financing the war crimes...I think it's the same as playing in Nazi Germany for Gestapo officers on the tournament organised by (the) company which built Auschwitz. There is no difference for me."

Shnaider played in a team exhibition tournament held last November in St Petersburg and sponsored by Gazprom.

"Ask Diana Shnaider how she feels about the fact that Gazprom is financing the kids' camps, kidnapping kids and putting them into the camps. Ask her how she feels about this, and how she feels about taking the money from the company like this."

"Everybody is silent about what this person did. It's crazy," said Oliynykova, who has never played Shnaider on tour but has accused the Russian in the past of supporting President Vladimir Putin.

"She also put likes on the publications of Russian propagandists."

(B.Smith--TAG)