Marta Kostjuk demands from Viktoria Azarenka a louder stance on the war. AOP/EPA
Tennis etiquette includes shaking hands after a break in play, but Marta Kostjuk was content to just tap with his bat Victoria Azarenka equivalent after a second-round match at the US Open.
– I simply don’t feel that it would have been the right way to act in these circumstances, Kostjuk justified his behavior after the match.
In the events of the match, Azarenka was stronger in the set 6–2, 6–3.
-People who didn’t watch the match probably scold me and say that “he’s a real asshole, thank God that Vika beat him, he talks too much and the result was fair”. But it was honestly a super even match.
Sent a message
According to his story, the Ukrainian Kostyuk feels that the Belarusian Azarenka should have expressed her opinion more actively about Russia’s war of aggression, which is supported by the government of her country.
Kostjuk emphasized that he appreciates his racing sister as an athlete, but not necessarily as a person. According to the Guardian, he sent Azarenka a text message before the meeting that they would skip the handshakes this time.
– He has never approached me and said what he thinks about the war, Kostjuk said.
However, Azarenka sent a message on social media in March in which she hoped the war would end. The former world number one was a little embarrassed by the treatment he received.
– I feel that my message has been very clear from the beginning, that I am here to help, and I have done that a lot. Maybe it’s something that people don’t see, Azarenka stated.
Sources: Expressen and Guardian