The tension was palpable on the clay courts of the Italian Open Monday as Jelena Ostapenko defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in a match that ended without the traditional handshake.

The former French Open champion didn't hold back in her post-match comments, saying she was fully prepared for "all kinds of simulations" from her Russian opponent. The 29-year-old Ostapenko pointed to Kalinskaya's off-court medical timeout at the end of the first set as a prime example of gamesmanship.

"She's a tricky player that is trying to get you out of the rhythm when she starts losing," Ostapenko told the WTA Tour after the match. "But the most important thing is that I'm really proud of myself, the way I was able to manage all that, losing only three games and playing a really good match."

The snub came when Kalinskaya, 27, missed a forehand drive volley into the net to end the match. Instead of waiting at the net for Ostapenko as is customary, the Russian immediately walked to shake the umpire's hand before heading to her chair. Their previous meeting at February's Dubai Tennis Championships ended with a handshake, though it was notably frosty.

Ostapenko, known for her fiery on-court personality, insisted the non-handshake was her opponent's decision. "I feel like there are so many great players and we are respecting each other," she said. "I know that I can be emotional on the court, but at the end of the day, I respect the other players."

Entering the match with a 0-4 head-to-head record against Kalinskaya, Ostapenko showed no signs of intimidation. "I honestly didn't really care much. I know I'm a better player," she declared confidently.

This isn't the first time Ostapenko has been at the center of handshake drama. The Latvian star made headlines at the 2017 U.S. Open—just months after her Roland Garros triumph—when she actively looked away from Russia's Daria Kasatkina after a loss. That moment prompted former world No. 33 Mary Carillo's now-famous quip on Tennis Channel: "Notice the frost on the fingers."

For tennis fans who love the drama as much as the sport itself, matches like these remind us that the mental game is just as important as the physical one—and that sometimes, the most memorable moments happen after the final point.