Posted by Marta Kostyuk’s departure from the court at Roland Garros was met with a loud chorus of boos, stemming from her refusal to handshake with Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka who defeated 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour. Kostyuk has consistently avoided any interaction with Sabalenka due to Belarus’s support for Russia in the conflict with Ukraine. the recent attack on Kyiv involving fifty-four drones has since intensified the tensions surrounding the situation.
In January, Kostyuk had made clear she would snub nor handshake any competitors from Russia or Belarus who hadn’t spoken out against the war in Ukraine.
While Kostyuk had strong support from the crowd during the match, with the Parisian spectators rallying behind the 20-year-old world No. 39, the atmosphere instantly soured as the audience took offense to her perceived lack of sportsmanship. Sabalenka initially misinterpreted the boos, bowing to the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier, mistakenly believing the negative reactions were aimed at her.
Of the boos, the Belarusian, whose powerful game was too much for her opponent, said: ‘It was a very tough match, I mean tough emotionally. I’m sorry guys, I didn’t get it at first, I thought this booing was against me so I was a little surprised. But then I felt your support, so thank you so much.’ The Australian Open champion added: ‘Actually I thought that my first Grand Slam would be the French Open. I have no idea why because I couldn’t play on clay.
Kostyuk who had claimed she would snub competitors refused to shake hands with former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka after losing to the Belarusian at the US Open. ‘I haven’t changed about the war and everything that’s going on, on tour,’ she said. ‘Because people who just say they don’t want war, it makes us [Ukraine] sound like we want war.’ We don’t want the war, too.’
She added: ‘Whoever speaks out clearly, I believe has every right to be on tour but whoever doesn’t… I don’t think it’s humane.’
In April, Kostyuk claimed ‘no more than’ five players from Russia and Belarus had privately expressed their opposition to Vladimir Putin’s fight against Ukraine. She told Tribuna, ‘Out of about 50, one, two, three, four, five – no more. They admitted that their country is doing something truly despicable and they want the war to end with Ukraine’s victory. The rest may want peace, but only if Russia wins. Its citizens will gladly sacrifice millions of lives to avoid defeat. They categorically reject her, but I am sure that they will lose.’
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s first-round match in Paris, Kostyuk shared: ‘It’s not politics. War is war. We know how Russia and Belarus act in this war. They shoot civilians, take civilians as prisoners, loot homes, rape, and kidnap children. This is genocide of Ukrainian people, not politics. Aryna might become No 1. Having such influence in the world, and she refuses it. We’re talking about people being murdered, and we hear ‘leave sports out of politics’. War doesn’t choose if you’re an athlete when it comes to your home.’
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