Young Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk lashed out on Thursday at the tennis world’s response to the Russian invasion of her country, stating that calls for peace are also not enough given the seriousness of the situation.
At 19 years old, Kostyuk advanced to the second round of the tournament in Indian Wells (California) on Thursday with a 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6) and 7-5 win over Belgian Maryna Zanevska, also born in the Ukraine.
After the game, in which he saved two match points, Kostyuk revealed that he even considered not playing because of the emotional impact of the Russian invasion on his country.
“Honestly, in the state of mind I’m in, it was very hard to go out on the court,” said the world number 54. “I didn’t know what to expect from myself, I didn’t know what to expect from my body. When I woke up this morning I thought, ‘I’m not going to do it, I can’t win.’
“My main objective was to fight and I fought. Each one fights as she can,” he said. “My job is to play tennis and this is the biggest way I can help in the current situation.”
Kostyuk and Zanevska, who was born in the Ukrainian city of Odessa but has represented Belgium since 2016, exchanged a long hug after the match.
“Her parents are in Ukraine. They are in a quieter area, but everyone is scared,” Kostyuk said. “I told him he played amazing and everything is going to be fine. Our parents are going to be fine.”
– Reaction of Russian tennis players –
Regarding the response of the tennis authorities to the Russian military offensive, which has drawn condemnation from much of the international community, Kostyuk disagreed with the measures taken compared to those of other sports.
The ATP and WTA tournaments that were to be held in Moscow in October have been suspended and the International Tennis Federation has banned both Russia and Belarus from participating in the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers.
Instead, tennis players from both countries can continue to compete individually in ATP and WTA events, albeit without the flag or other national symbols.
“I do not agree with the measures that have been taken,” Kostyuk said flatly.
“Look at the other sports, look at the big sports, what they have done, that is,” he added in an apparent reference to actions in sports such as soccer, which suspended Russian teams and clubs from international competitions.
The Kiev tennis player also questioned the reaction of some players, such as Russian Daniil Medvedev, world number one, who have called for peace without directly condemning the invasion.
“You cannot be neutral on this,” Kostyuk stressed. “These ‘No War’ statements hurt me because they have no substance.”
“Seeing the (Russian) players in the place hurts me a lot. And seeing them with the only problem of not being able to transfer the money and so on. That’s what they talk about, it’s unacceptable to me,” he lamented.
bb/gbv/es
