Their countries are enemies, on the tennis court the Ukrainian Marta Kostjuk and the Belarusian Viktoria Asarenka face each other in sport. With the better ending for Asarenka, who advances to the third round of the US Open. After the game, however, the Ukrainian does not congratulate as usual.
Ukraine's Marta Kostjuk congratulated Belarusian Viktoria Azarenka with just a brief touch of the racquet after their 6-2, 6-3 loss in the second round of the US Open. There was no handshake after the game, which had sparked increased interest due to the political tensions in both players' home countries. Russia is waging a war of aggression in Ukraine with the political support of the Belarusian government.
"I just don't think it's the right thing to do in the situation I'm in right now," said the 20-year-old from Kyiv. "It was just my decision. I didn't feel like it."
Azarenka stressed that she "didn't want to make a big deal" out of her opponent's somewhat unusual behavior. "I always shake hands with my opponents. I had the same situation with Dajana Jastremska in Washington," said the two-time Australian Open winner and three-time runner-up at the US Open: "It's the way it is. I just keep going. I can't force anyone to shake my hand. It's her choice."
Shortly before the US Open, Azarenka canceled her participation in the USTA's "Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition" charity event at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows in favor of Ukraine. According to media reports, Ukrainian players such as Kostyuk have expressed concerns. In Wimbledon, Russian and Belarusian players were not allowed to start due to sanctions, but they are not excluded in New York.
