Kostyuk: I have no hatred for Sobolenko and other athletes from aggressor countries, I just don’t respect them

Marta will play with the second racket of the world in the first round of Roland Garros-2023

Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk commented on the words of the second racket of the world Arina Sobolenkowho said that the Ukrainian hates her.

» I come to the tournament, I want to win every match I play, the only thing I do is I don’t shake hands. I have never said either in an interview or in personal communication either to Arina Sobolenko or to anyone else that I hate him. Why she started talking about it like that, I don’t even know how to comment on it.”

“For me, this is not a story about emotions, because hate is an emotion, and this is a story about respect. Firstly, I cannot respect her choice to continue traveling to Russia, train there, communicate with the Russian press. Do not take the family out of the aggressor countries, having sufficient financial resources for this step. I would not be able to come to terms with myself when my country does this, and I stay where people around just continue to live their lives, relax, have fun as before.

“Secondly, for me personally, playing tennis was not only about my own development, money, comfort, helping my family and the like. The main thing is the opportunity to change something, to change for the better. Sobolenko after this tournament can become the first number in such a popular sport. With such a large audience, such influence in the world, she refuses it. What message does it bring to the world?

“We are talking about the fact that people are being killed, and we hear in response that sports should be left out of politics. But when war comes to your house, it does not choose whether you are an athlete or not. It’s not politics, it’s not about elections, it’s not about laws or anything like that. War is war, and we all know how Russia and Belarus are fighting against Ukraine, how civilians are shot, how civilians are taken prisoner, things are stolen from houses, children are raped, they are taken out of Ukraine. This is the genocide of the Ukrainian people, this is not politics. We are not at the kindergarten level here, when someone says that he loves or hates someone. I just can’t respect that attitude when it comes to world-changing events like war.”

“In general, I will say this: I have no hatred for any of the players, from the aggressor countries. I just don’t respect them. For me, to be honest, there is no difference when someone hates me or loves me or something else, because these are emotions. It is important for me when I am respected, because respect is not an emotion.

The match between Kostyuk and Sobolenko in the first round of Roland Garros 2023 is scheduled for Sunday, May 28. The fight is scheduled to start at 12:00.

In addition to Marta, five more Ukrainians will compete in the main draw of the French Open – Elina Svitolina, Angelina Kalinina, Lesya Tsurenko, Katerina Beindl and Dayana Yastremska, who overcame the qualification.

Source: Sportarena

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