Russia’s war on Ukraine has bled over into a cold war on the tennis court between Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk and Victoria Azarenka.
Kostyuk has been a vocal critic of Azarenka, first declining the USTA’s Ukraine charity invitation due to Azarenka’s expected presence. And Thursday she refused to shake hands after Azarenka’s 6-2, 6-3 US Open second-round win.
“I had the same situation with [Ukrainian Dayana] Yastremska in Washington. It is what it is. I just move on,” the 32-year-old Azarenka said with a shrug. “I cannot force anybody to shake my hand. It’s their decision. How did it make me feel? It’s not the most important thing in the world right now.”
Azarenka is from Belarus, not Russia; but the landlocked country borders Ukraine and has served as a staging ground for Russian troops in the months leading up to the invasion.
“It was just my choice,” Kostyuk was quoted as saying in the Guardian. “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. 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 as a human being. ”
There has been frostiness between the pair since the onset of hostilities, with Kostyuk ripping Azarenka. The former World No. 1 cut loose with a fist pump and loud scream skyward after Thursday’s win on Court 17, with her Ukrainian foe eschewing the handshake and never even deigning to make eye contact, offering just a cold racquet tap instead.
Kostyuk — a 20-year-old from Kyiv — texted Azarenka on Wednesday to explain her position, and was seemingly vexed over the veteran not having reached out to her for months.
“I’ve offered many times through WTA, because I believe that there is a sort of sensitivity. I’ve been told that that’s not a good time,” Azarenka said. “In March when everything happened, I reached out to all the players that I personally know and I still have a good relationship with — I’m talking about Ukrainian players, of course — and I don’t feel that forcing myself to speak to somebody who doesn’t want to speak to me for different reasons is the right approach. But I offered.
“I’ve had a very clear message from the beginning, is that I’m here to try to help, which I’ve done a lot. Maybe not something that people see. And that’s not what I do it for; I do it for people in need, juniors who need clothes, other people who need money or who needed transportation or whatever. That’s what is important to me, to help people in need. If Marta wants to speak with me, like she texted me, I replied. I’m open any time to listen, to try to understand, to sympathize.”
Kostyuk had been critical of Azarenka being included in the Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition to raise money for Ukraine, saying “There was no open help from her in our direction. She did not communicate with me.”
Those comments led to Azarenka not taking part in the charity event even though she left Belarus years ago and lives in Boca Raton (Fla.). But she showed up Thursday, badly outplaying Kostyuk. The Ukrainian won just two of nine break points, made 31 unforced errors and left without a word to Azarenka.
“I’m always open to listen. I can’t force people to do something they don’t want to do,” Azarenka said. “But any time, she has my number. She texted me. And all others, as well. Whatever I can do to help people. I don’t play political games, I don’t play media games: That’s not what I’m here for. I’m a very direct person.
“I don’t go around the corners. I go straight to the person. The Twitter is not a place for discussion. The place for discussion is face-to-face. That’s what I’m about. I talk with people, not through the phone or through the text; face-to-face.”
.