Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka after their first-round match at the French Open and the Ukrainian feels the Belarusian should take a stronger, more personal stand against the war.
Booing and jeering could be heard from the thin Court Philippe Chatrier crowd as Kostyuk left the court after a 6-3 6-2 loss to world number two Sabalenka on Sunday.
"I understand why they're not shaking hands with us. I can imagine if they shake hands with us, what's going to happen to them from the Ukrainian side. I understand that this isn't personal. That's it," Sabalenka said.To Kostyuk, it is a personal matter. "She never says that she personally doesn't support this war, and I feel like journalists should change the questions that you ask these athletes because the war is already there. It's been 15 months since the war has begun."
"Just by speaking out, I think she can just send some message because most of these people, they haven't even ever left the country," she said.
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