As Russian missiles continue to pound his country, Ukraine’s number two tennis player, Martha Kostyuksays he won’t shake hands with his rivals from Russia and Belarus because he doesn’t think they’ve done enough to speak out against the invasion.
The 20-year-old Kyiv native made headlines last year when he declined the customary online handshake with the former world number one. Victoria Azarenka after the Belarusian defeated him at the US Open.
Belarus is being used as the main theater for Russia’s war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special operation.”
After winning his first match at the Australian Open on Monday, the American lost Amanda AnisimovaSeeded No.28 Kostyuk said he would refuse to shake hands with any Russian or Belarusian opponent who did not publicly condemn the invasion.
“I haven’t changed about the war and everything that’s happening on tour,” he told Reuters.
“Because people who simply say they don’t want war make us (Ukrainians) look like we want war. Obviously, we don’t want war either.”
Among the Grand Slams, only Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian players from competing in 2022, leading to a fine of one million dollars by the men’s circuit.
Russian and Belarusian players can play at Melbourne Park this year without displaying their flag or country.
“Whoever speaks, I think has the right to be on the circuit, but whoever doesn’t…I think they’re just not human,” he said.
“I don’t really talk to anyone,” he added of the Russian and Belarusian players.
“I almost said ‘hello’ to them,” he said.
Most of Kostyuk’s family is in Kyiv, including his father and grandfather.
He was in regular contact with them and said it was scary how they were used to the “horror” of war.
“I was more stressed about being outside than actually being there,” said Kostyuk, who visited Kyiv in October and left days before missiles rained down on the city center.
The world number 61 said he has no doubts about his country’s success. “It just takes time and unfortunately a lot of loss and death, including a lot of innocent people,” he lamented.
Source: La Verdad
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