Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk defended her “conscious choice” to address her country’s fate while presenting the trophy at a pre-Australian Open event in Brisbane.
The world number 20 did not shake hands with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, world number one, after being beaten in the final on Sunday in straight sets.
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Like many Ukrainian players, Kostyuk refuses to shake hands with Russians or Belarusians following Moscow’s invasion of his country.
In his speech at the trophy presentation, Kostyuk, 23, said: “I want to say a few words about Ukraine.
“I play every day with pain in my heart and there are thousands of people who are currently without light or hot water.
“It’s minus 20 degrees outside and it’s very painful to live this reality every day,” she says, her voice breaking with emotion.
Post-final ceremonies usually involve players congratulating their opponents.
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Kostyuk, however, thanked “all the opponents I faced this week.”
Sabalenka, who has said in the past that she does not support the war, congratulated Kostyuk on reaching the final in her on-field speech.
On Instagram, where some users accused Kostyuk of poor sportsmanship, she wrote: “The words I shared after the match sparked a lot of reaction.
“For me, it is a conscious choice to continue to remind people of what Ukraine and its citizens are going through.
“Thank you to everyone who showed their support. And thank you to all the players I faced on the other side of the net this week.”
Both players will be at the Australian Open on Sunday, where Sabalenka is favored to win the title for the third time in four years.
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