Marta Kostyuk continues her deliberate IGNORANCE of Russian players quashing Aryna Sabalenka’s ‘soft’ call for peace

Kostyuk criticizes majority of Russian, Belarusian players for supporting their governments.

Marta Kostyuk continues her deliberate IGNORANCE of Russian players quashing Aryna Sabalenka’s ‘soft’ call for peace

Marta Kostyuk and Aryna Sabalenka (credits - CNN and tennisnet)

Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk has responded to recent claims made by Aryna Sabalenka, the 2023 Australian Open champion, regarding the tension between Ukrainian and Belarusian players. Sabalenka had stated that she felt “hatred” from Ukrainian players and that some of them had been aggressive towards her. Kostyuk, in an interview with Tribuna, expressed her disappointment with Sabalenka’s remarks and disagreed with her assessment of the situation.

Kostyuk said that Ukrainian players do not hate Belarusian players, but there is tension because of the ongoing conflict between their countries. “Some wonder why we don’t smile at them: ‘After all, we didn’t do anything wrong, we don’t want war’ As if we want [it]. They don’t say anything bad, but they don’t say anything good either,” Kostyuk said.

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Kostyuk also claimed that the majority of Russian and Belarusian players support their governments and are not sympathetic to the plight of Ukrainians. She said that out of around 50 players from those countries, only a handful was willing to acknowledge that their countries were doing something wrong and that they wanted the war to end with a victory for Ukraine. “They categorically reject it, but I am sure that they will lose,” Kostyuk said.

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WTA refused to set up meeting between Ukrainian and Russian/Belarusian players

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Marta Kostyuk
(credits – ESPN)

In addition to responding to Sabalenka‘s claims, Marta Kostyuk also criticized the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for not taking a more proactive role in addressing the conflict between Ukrainian and Russian/Belarusian players. Kostyuk claimed that Ukrainian players had asked the WTA to set up a meeting between players from all three countries in order to discuss the situation and clear the air. However, the WTA refused to do so.

“After the invasion began, we asked at the tournament in Indian Wells, we even begged, to put us in one room: Ukrainians, Russians, and Belarusians. To figure out what they think, how they look at us. But the WTA got scared,” Kostyuk said. Kostyuk suggested that the WTA involve security personnel to ensure the safety of the players during the meeting, but the organization still refused. She expressed her frustration with the lack of leadership from the WTA in addressing the situation and promoting peace and understanding among players from different countries.

The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia/Belarus has created tension among players from those countries in the tennis world. It is important for organizations like the WTA to take an active role in promoting peace and understanding among players, and facilitate dialogue between players from different countries.

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