Sep 2, 2022
There's no love lost at the U.S. Open.
Amid Ukraine's war with Russia, Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus after their match on Thursday. Belarus assisted Russia in its invasion in February.
Instead, Kostyuk opted for a simple tap of the rackets at midcourt after her loss.
"It was my choice — I don't feel like I don't know any single person who condemned the war publicly, and the actions of their government, so I don't feel like I can support this," she said after the match, which she lost in straight sets.
"I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do in the circumstances I’m in right now," she added. "We had a great match, don’t get me wrong. She’s a great competitor, I respect her as an athlete, but that has nothing to do with her being a human being."
Source: Fox News