Fans Accuse Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk of Making Tennis Political After Cold Post-Match Exchange with Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in Brisbane – “Annoying”

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk regularly uses her platform to highlight the problems the people back home are struggling with. The 23-year-old, the winner of one WTA singles title, failed to double her tally with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the 2026 Brisbane International final.

Russia, which has been targeting Ukraine’s energy system since its invasion in 2022, once again targeted the country’s energy infrastructure a few days ago, leaving thousands of Kyiv residents suffering without power supply, heat, and water in the bitter winter. Kostyuk, during her runner-up speech, got visibly emotional while revealing that to escape the cold, her sister had to sleep under three blankets.

No matter what it is, if it’s what you believe in, you have to talk about it. I think it’s really important for me also personally, because as I said on the court, my house, like the house where my parents live, it has heating, like they have generators, so even if there are blackouts, they can still push their electricity, so they can still heat up their house, but it’s still very cold inside. Like my husband’s parents are walking around in the jackets at home because of how cold it is.

Marta Kostyuk said at the press conference

Many tennis fans eagerly waited for the match and the subsequent reactions from both players, thanks to their past comments about each other. In an interview last year, Kostyuk found herself at the receiving end of criticism from Sabalenka for claiming that the World No.1 and World No.2 Iga Swiatek play better tennis because of having higher testosterone levels than the rest of the players.

Sabalenka clapped back by posting a picture in a bikini and later, during her interview with Piers Morgan ahead of her Battle of the Sexes clash with Nick Kyrgios, confirmed that the picture was indeed a response to Kostyuk’s biological advantage claims. “All I hear was excuses,” said Sabalenka, also claiming that Kostyuk probably has more muscles than her.

Kostyuk, prior to the final, defended herself, saying her testosterone comments were “misquoted” and “taken out of context“. When Sabalenka won the last point of the match, she kissed her biceps, which many interpreted as a brutal response to Kostyuk’s claims. But the Belarusian denied at the press conference that it had anything to do with her opponent.

Because of the no-handshake stance of many Ukrainians, Kostyuk did not shake hands with Sabalenka, nor did she pose for photographs alongside her before and after the match. During her runner-up speech, forget congratulating the four-time Grand Slam singles champion, Kostyuk did not even mention her.

Marta Kostyuk faces heat from fans for not congratulating Aryna Sabalenka after the Brisbane International final

Some fans censured Marta Kostyuk for mentioning that her sister sleeps under three blankets. They said Kostyuk earns a great deal from her tennis career, so instead of complaining about the brutal realities, she should help her family relocate to another country. Some fans simply urged her to keep politics out of tennis, pointing out that it’s not Aryna Sabalenka who is responsible for the war.

Check out their reactions here:

Marta Kostyuk with her political speech and not acknowledging sabalenka as if she’s directly involved in the war Ukraine and Russia are currently involved in pic.twitter.com/1W1HN1XU91

— Gio (@jsmove7) January 11, 2026

Marta fan but she should applaud her opponent too and sabalenka is not doing war with ukraine so dont hate your fellow players and opponent

— Yash Rathi (@YashRathi1845) January 11, 2026

I'm starting to not care about the country. These people are being annoying

— Derek Brad (@DerekBradPhoto) January 11, 2026

Loved the speech but Marta could have acknowledged Aryna. It’s getting a bit exhausting to snub the opponent of your rival country.. You can speak on the issues without isolating the other players

— CurtisRicha (@CRIchaSON) January 11, 2026

Good on her. Any chance of her helping her sister out financially tho so that she doesn't have to sleep with 3 blankets?

— Jason W (@Jasonboro2511) January 11, 2026

You are making millions a year and live a lavish life in Monte Carlo. Bring your sister with you and stop using sports for war purposes – keep politics out of sports

— Murad O (@MuradOmar84) January 11, 2026

What do you do with all your prize money if your sister is sleeping under 3 blankets at home?

— 🎾 (@Junioryetagain) January 11, 2026

I sleep under 3 blankets in winter as well

— Aussie Anne 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 (@Aussieannie59) January 12, 2026

Sabalenka issued a blunt statement when asked about Kostyuk’s no-handshake stance. She said, it’s “their position,” and she doesn’t “care about that“, and that instead of the outside noise, she rather focuses on competing as an athlete.

It was Sabalenka’s sixth consecutive win over Kostyuk. Next is the Australian Open, where Sabalenka will be bidding for a third title, having failed to win it last year, losing in three sets in the final to Madison Keys.

Kostyuk has never progressed to the semifinals in Melbourne, reaching the quarterfinals just once, in 2024. Last year, she lost in the third round.

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