The emotion was palpable on the court, the tension too. After losing in two sets (6-4, 6-3) on Sunday against the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the tennis tournament in Brisbane (Australia), the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk went directly to the referee, refusing, ostensibly, to greet her opponent in passing.
An assumed and repeated attitude. Since the start of the war in her country in 2022, the Ukrainian, world number 26, has systematically refused to shake hands with a Belarusian opponent. In 2023, she had already acted in this way after a defeat in the first of the Roland-Garros tournament against… Sabalenka.
When she went to the microphone in the middle of the court for the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk had not a single word for the Belarusian. And she grimaced when the world number 1 on the contrary congratulated her and wished her good luck for the rest of the season.
“My sister sleeps under three blankets because it’s so cold at home”
Above all, the Ukrainian took the opportunity to recall with emotion the situation in her country. “I would like to say a few words about Ukraine,” said the 23-year-old. I play every day with a heavy heart. Thousands of people are without electricity and hot water. It’s -20 degrees outside. It’s terrible to live this reality every day. My sister sleeps under three blankets because it is so cold at home. I was deeply touched and happy to see so many Ukrainian flags this week. »
A committed speech that the kyiv native punctuated, as usual, with two words: “Slava Ukraini”, which could be translated as “glory to Ukraine”.
“This is their position (to Ukrainian players), what can I do?, Sabalenka simply commented at a press conference. When I step on the court, I think about my tennis and what I have to do to win. It doesn’t matter if there’s Marta Kostyuk or Jessica Pegula (beaten in the semi-final by the Ukrainian). I have nothing to prove, I go there and behave like a competitive athlete. »
