Maximum tension at the US Open: the crossing at the net between the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk and the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka

One of the moments of greatest tension experienced in this edition of the US Open was carried out this Thursday by the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk and the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. At the end of the match that saw the three-time US Open runner-up win by 6-2 y 6-3, Both met at the net and only managed to hit their rackets in a very apathetic way.

Kostyuk waited in the center of the field for Azarenka with his racket raised, leaving his rival no choice but to make a cold clash with his own after achieving the victory that qualified for the third round in Flushing Meadows. “It’s something very personal”said the Ukrainian player after the match.

“It was not a personal duel for me because it was against Vika specifically, but in general it was not the routine match that I usually have in a tournament”deepened Kostyuk. Regarding the traditional greeting that is made after a game, he commented that it was not the right thing to do “in the circumstances in which I find myself now”.

Is that Belarus collaborated in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began in February and Marta Kostyuk he mentioned that he had that in mind when he realized – as soon as the draw for the tournament was completed – that he could play against Azarenka in the second round. For her part, the Belarusian tennis player said that she had already faced that situation with a Ukrainian player when measuring herself against Dayana Yastremska last month in Washington: “It is what it is, I keep going. I can’t force anyone to shake my hand. It is your decision.”

Kostyuk He confessed that he sent a text message to Azarenka the day before to inform him that I would not greet him online. Azarenka replied to the message by telling Kostyuk that he was not at the tournament complex, so the Ukrainian tennis player did not prolong the discussion because she wanted to tell him in person.

Also, Azarenka said he has contacted all the Ukrainian players he knows after the invasion but was unsuccessful with Kostyuk. “I tried it several times through the WTA, as I understand that there is some sensitivity. I’ve been told it’s not the right time. If Marta wants to talk to me, like the text she sent me yesterday, I’ll reply. I have the disposition to listen, to try to understand, to be cordial. I think that cordiality at this time is very important, and that has been the message from the beginning, ”she pointed out.

Before this confrontation, Kostyuk questioned that Azarenka was part of the event Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition that the American Tennis Association organized in the week leading up to the tournament in order to raise money for Ukraine. Azarenka was set aside the day of the event, which served to generate more than 1 million dollars for humanitarian assistance.

“Everyone wants to be super democratic about what happened and what is happening is that, right now, my nation is being slaughtered dailyso I don’t want to answer this question again. Imagine it’s World War II and a fundraiser for the Jews and a German player wants to play. During the war, not 70 years after the war. in the middle of the war. I don’t think the Jews would have understood it.” Kostyuk.

The Russian and Belarusian tennis players, who were banned from Wimbledon because of the slut, they compete in the US Open but without identification of nationality or with a flag.

(With information from AP)

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