Marta Kostyuk Blasts Russian And Belarusian Players' Silence Over Ukraine War - UBITENNIS
Connect with us

Latest news

Marta Kostyuk Blasts Russian And Belarusian Players’ Silence Over Ukraine War

The world No.60 says her peers have the option to speak out against the devatstaing conflict but are choosing not to.

Published

on

Marta Kostyuk (photo by Roberto Dell'Olivo)

Ukranian tennis star Marta Kostyuk says she is no longer friends with players from two countries linked to the ongoing Ukraine war and has called for them to ‘stop making excuses.’

 

The 19-year-old says she has ended her friendships with peers from Russia and Belarus who she alleges has not spoken with her about the ongoing conflict. Kostyuk didn’t specify the name of any of those players. On February 24 Russia launched a ‘special operation’ against the Ukraine and it is suspected that they have been receiving support from Belarus. According to the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at least 2899 civilians have been killed as a result of the war.

In response numerous sporting bodies have sanctioned players from Russia and Belarus in protest. In tennis, those players are only allowed to play as a neutral athlete for the foreseeable future and their national federations are suspended from team events. In April Wimbledon and the British LTA became the first tennis organizations to announce a ban on those players from participating in their events. A move which has divided opinion in the sport with Andrey Rublev describing it as ‘discriminatory’ and other governing bodies criticising the decision.

However, world No.60 Kostyuk has hit out at those athletes for not speaking against the actions of their governments. Rublev and others have previously displayed ‘no war’ messages either during or after matches. Although there is yet to be a player to criticize their leaders.

“I cut out all the contacts from all the Russian and Belarusian players I’ve been friends with because of the fact that we were friends and they never considered coming out to me and talking to me; I think that’s a pretty good reason, no matter what their feelings are, I really don’t care,” Kostyuk said during an interview with Eurosport UK.
“They pretend like nothing is going on, they pretend that they are the victims of this situation, which I honestly cannot get it.
“I don’t know how much time needs to pass before they stop making excuses for themselves to do whatever, to do anything, any decision, any movement.”

During their Spring press conference, The All England Tennis Club (AELTC) said they considered allowing Russian and Belarusian players to participate on the condition they sign some sort of documentation condemning their government. This proposal failed to occur due to concerns over player safety. Thousands of people have been arrested in Russia for participating in anti-war protests and strict laws are in place concerning condemnation of the war.

The argument that some players aren’t speaking out due to fear of reprisals has been dismissed by Kostyuk who believes they are just choosing not to.

“Let’s be honest, players who are at least in the top 50 have all the money to move their families,” she said.
“Come on, it’s been two months, they have all the possibilities to move their family somewhere, it’s just the sacrifice that people choose not to make; it’s not like you have no choice. Everyone has a choice in life.
“I know people who fled Russia. Who left Russia because of this, because they cannot live in the country like this, they cannot live in a country where they are not allowed to speak or they’re not allowed to do things.
“If your choice is to live and keep living in the country that doesn’t give you freedom, like basic human freedom… there are so many possibilities to do something. So many excuses for so many weeks.”

Kostyuk, who was born in Kyiv, has been seeking support from a psychologist during what she describes as a ‘rollercoaster’ period for her both physically and mentally. She says playing on a tennis court provides her with opportunities to speak out for her country.

Heading into the Madrid Open, Kostyuk has achieved a win-loss record of 10-7 so far this season with her best result being a run to the third round of the Australian Open.

.

Latest news

Ludmila Samsonova beats Tatjana Maria to reach the second round in Tokyo

Published

on

Number 7 seed Liudmila Samsonova cruised past former Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria 6- 0 6-2 in just 62 minutes to reach the second round at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Samsonova has extended her lead to 2-0 in her head-to-head matches against Maria. 

 

Samsonova has now all six matches and all 12 sets she has played in Tokyo, where she claimed the fourth title of her career on her debut at this tournament last year. 

Samsonova dropped just three points on her serve and broke three times to take a bagel win in the 25-minute first set. Maria won her first game  of the match before missing two break point chances. Samsonova broke twice in the third and fifth games and held on her serve to close out the second set 6-2. 

This year’s Rome finalist Anhelina Kalinina cruised past Ashlyn Krueger 6-3 6-1. Kalinina ended Krueger’s five match winning streak. Krueger recently won her first WTA title in Osaka.

Kalinina set up a match against Caroline Garcia, who reached the semifinals in Guadalajara. 

Cristina Bucsa cruised past Japanese Rina Raigo 6-1 6-2 with three breaks in the first set and two breaks in the second set. Bucsa will take on number 2 seed Jessica Pegula. 

Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama beat her compatriot Nao Hibino 6-2 6-4 setting up number 1 seed and four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. Elena Rybakina, 2021 Wimbledon champion, withdrew from the tournament due to illness and has been replaced by Japanese lucky loser Himeno Sakatsume.

Continue Reading

Latest news

Alexander Zverev beats Grigor Dimitrov to reach the final at the Chengdu Open

Published

on

Alexander Zverev saved all five break points he faced in his 6-3 7-6 (7-2) win over Grigor Dimitrov to reach the final at the Chengdu Open. 

 

Zverev hit 10 aces and four aces in the first set. The German player earned two breaks in the first and ninth games to win the opening set 6-3. 

Zverev saved three break points in the third game of the second set to hold serve at deuce. Both players went on serve in the next games en route to the tie-break. Zverev earned two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-2. 

Zverev improved to 7-1 in his head-to-head matches against Dimitrov. The German player will play the 32nd ATP Tour final of his career and his 21st hardcourt championships match. He is aiming to win his 21st title. He won his only ATP 500 title of the season in his native city Hamburg.  

Earlier this week Zverev beat Pavel Kotov and Miomir Kecmanovic in three sets in his first two matches. 

“For sure it was the best match I have played in Chengdu. Even though I think yesterday’s match was a very high level and Kecmanovic was playing extremely well. I am very happy to be in the final, that’s what I came for and hopefully it’s going to be another high-level match tomorrow”, said Zverev.

 The German player has a record of 45 to 21 this season and is currently seventh in the ATP Race to Turin. 

Zverev will face Roman Safiulin, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-3 6-3 to reach his first ATP Tour final. 

The first set went on serve until the sixth game when Safiulin was not able to convert a break point. The Russian player broke serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead and held his final service game to seal the first set 6-3. 

Musetti fended off a break point in the fifth game of the second set. Safiulin broke serve in a very long eighth game as Musetti hit backhand into the net. 

Safiulin emerged last year at the start of the season and climbed into the top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. He reached his first quarter final at Grand Slam level at Wimbledon last July. 

Continue Reading

Latest news

Karen Khachanov beats Sebastian Korda in Zhuhai to reach his first final of the season

Published

on

Karen Khachanov beat Sebastian Korda 7-5 6-4 in 1 hour and 47 minutes to advance to his first final of the season in Zhuhai. 

 

Khachanov broke in the fifth game at deuce of the opening set to take a 3-2 lead. Korda broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Khachanov earned the crucial break at 5-5 as Korda could not find the net with a drop shot. 

Khachanov went up a 3-0 lead with a double break in the second set. Korda pulled one break back in the sixth game for 2-4. Khachanov won his final two service games to close out the second set 6-4. 

Khachanov improved to 3-2 in his five head-to-head matches against Korda. 

Khachanov was playing just his fourth match since his quarter final at Roland Garros, where he suffered a back injury in his back. He lost in the first round at the US Open, but he won three matches against Alex Bolt, Mackenzie McDonald and Korda. 

Khachanov is chasing his first title since 2018 and the fifth trophy of his career. He won a title on Chinese soil in Chengdu in 2016.  

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending