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Another controversial episode between a Ukrainian and a Russian tennis player: Marta Kostyuk refused to take a pre-match photo with Daria Kasatkina. A position that continues beyond the missing handshake at the end of the match.
The incident happened during their first round match at the 2023 Toray Pan Pacific Open, in Japan.
And obviously it symbolizes the choice of the Ukrainian players not to shake hands and, in general, to break off any relationship with the Russian and Belarusian players.
This has obviously been happening since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the start of the bloody conflict.
Marta took a separate photo at the net from her opponent. Daria Kasatkina has always and immediately supported the Ukrainian protests and has always condemned Russia's actions.
Yet, incredibly, her Ukrainian opponents, instead of appreciating the behavior of the strong tennis player, continue to ignore her.
Kasatkina then won the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. The two players did not shake hands after the match, as is now customary between tennis players from these two countries.
A good comeback from Daria Kasatkina as she recovered from a set and a break down to beat Marta Kostyuk 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a tough first-round at the Toray Pan Pacific Open!
Solid performance against a tricky opponent to begin her Tokyo campaign.pic.twitter.com/7ppE2i70dl — WTARussians (@WTArussians) September 26, 2023
Umm why they took the photos separately 👽 pic.twitter.com/8cuXwexaN8 — LorenaPopa 🕵️♀️🎾 (@popalorena) September 26, 2023
Kostyuk: "I reconsidered tennis for the war"
Marta Kostyuk, at Wimbledon, made very important statements regarding tennis and her perspective, in relation to Ukraine invasion.
She said: "Tennis is my job, I want to try to be successful and fulfill myself. Sometimes I think it's the most important thing in the world. Everything that has happened has helped me grow and made me even stronger. Dall During the invasion of Ukraine I reconsidered many things.
I see them from a different point of view. Tennis is not the center of my life, it's just what I do for a living. I don't experience what they go through. Thinking about those who are going through worse times in life doesn't make me feel better about my problems, or the situation I'm facing at that moment.
What happened makes me understand that tennis is not everything in my life. Even before I asked myself questions, I wondered what else I could do outside of tennis. The war made me realize that I could do many things. I'm good at organizing.
At first I didn't know much about how the world worked. Then when I started working with Wilson on the collections, I began to understand how design works and this made me understand that tennis is not the only thing I know.
It's It was questionable behavior on their part. I mean, they can do whatever they want but honestly I don't understand it."