War destroys women’s tennis: Tensions peak after Potapova-Kostyuk

It wasn’t one of the best games of the day, but it raised a lot of expectations. This Thursday, the Russian Anastasia Potapova and the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk met in the second round match of the Miami Openin a rivalry that is expected to be marked by tension.

And it is that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine destroyed the relationship between the tennis players of both countriessomething that is transferred to the tracks to create a rarefied environment that harms coexistence in the circuit.

Victory was obtained by the Russian, who prevailed without too much trouble 6-1, 6-3 in almost an hour and a quarter, but the image in question today is the end of the game, when they both went to their seats without greeting.

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It’s something to be expected, but that doesn’t mean it’s less important. A sample of the chaos that the war in Ukraine is wreaking in women’s tennis.

“We want to meet with the board of directors (of the circuit) and we don’t have it yet. No answer, nothing, just silence“Kostyuk was upset with the media after the match. The attack did not receive a response from the WTA, which refused to comment on it.

Last week, her compatriot Lesia Tsurenko said several Ukrainian players made the same request.. She withdrew before facing Belarusian Aryna Sabelenka in Indian Wells, later saying she suffered a “panic attack” following a conversation with the head of the WTA about the consequences of Russia’s invasion of her country.

Kostyuk (38th in the world) refused to discuss the issues he wanted to raise with the organization, Tsurenko and other compatriots.. “Before a meeting is held, I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk about it,” he said.

The Russian angered the Ukrainian players last week in Indian Wells by walking onto the court wearing the jersey of the Spartak Moscow football club.. This was seen as a sign of support for his country in the conflict in Ukraine and earned him a formal warning from the WTA.

Kostyuk was not happy at all. “There are many things I don’t agree with what the WTA is doing. It won’t change anything. DNo matter what I say, I have a lot of anger. But a warning? Unimportant. They can suspend someone, I don’t know. I can’t comment on that, it’s just funny” he claimed.

Last week, Aryna Sabalenka acknowledges “a lot of tension” between Russians and Belarusians, on the one hand, and Ukrainians, on the other.

“There is obviously tension, we are not friends, we are enemies nowadded Kostyuk, 20, who won her first WTA title in Austin last month, beating Russia’s Varvara Gracheva in the final.

“I might not greet some players, but I never approach anyone, never talk to anyone. Perhaps I have sowed hatred just by my presence,” he said.

Asked if he could ignore the war when he was in court, Kostyuk replied: “Depends on the day. I think it is better to stay away from any kind of newsbecause for a year most of the news I received was terrible and bad.”