The Ukrainian tennis player refused the traditional post-match handshake with the Belarusian

At the end of the fight, the Ukrainian athlete waited for her opponent near the net with a racket raised in her hands, which Azarenka touched with her racket.

According to Kostyuk, before the match, she sent a text message to Azarenka, in which she warned her that there would be no usual handshake on the court.

This is my decision, because none of them (players from Russia and Belarus - ed.) publicly condemned the war and the actions of their governments. And I can’t support this,” Kostyuk said at the post-match press conference.

I had personal relationships with some of them, but they didn't even approach me. And some have a lot of fans who look up to them. But they didn't use their platform to spread the right message that they don't support the war, the Ukrainian tennis player explained.

Marta Kostyuk has stated that she has no animosity towards Azarenka personally, however Azarenka has huge influence outside of tennis in Belarus and could do more.

When everything happened in March, I contacted all the Ukrainian players with whom I have a personal relationship. But I do not want to be imposed on those who may not want to talk to me, - quotes the words of the Belarusian tennis player Sports.ru.

In April, Marta Kostyuk called on other Ukrainian players to ban Russian and Belarusian tennis players from international competition unless they agree to publicly condemn the war.