Martha’s rival never spoke out against the war or the actions of the Russian army
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk spoke about how she thought about her behavior in the final of the tournament in the American Austin. The Ukrainian, after defeating the Russian woman Varvara Gracheva, did not shake hands with her and refused the traditional joint photo shoot with awards.
“Before the game, especially in the morning, there were a lot of emotions, so I can’t say that I’m somehow especially emotional now experiencing this victory. A lot of work has been done over the years and there was a feeling that the time had come for her. It was not a sensation or a surprise for me. So I’m generally calm and I was calm right after the awards ceremony.”
“My behavior was premeditated. There was a conversation with representatives of the WTA, they asked me how I would like the awards ceremony, photo shoot and so on. I immediately warned that I would not shake hands, I would not take a photo, so they were ready for this – for them it was not a surprise.
“Varvara did not express to me personally or publicly her condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, nor condemnation of the actions of the authorities of her country, so for me this is a certain sign that in the soul a person supports what is happening now, supports the war.”
20-year-old Kostyuk won her debut title at the WTA level. Prior to this tournament, the Ukrainian lost four times in the semifinals.
In the updated WTA rankings, Marta rose to 40th place, updating her personal record. Prior to this, Kostyuk’s highest line was 49th position.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
