Ukraine’s Kostyuk snubs Azarenka handshake I Swiatek lays down marker

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk declined to shake the hand of her Belarusian opponent Victoria Azarenka after their second-round match at the US Open.

Kostyuk has been the most vocal critic of the lack of condemnation from Russian and Belarusian players to the invasion of her country.

After Azarenka’s 6-2 6-3 victory, 20-year-old Kostyuk did not offer her hand to her opponent, instead holding out her racket for a cursory tap.

Kostyuk said: “I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do in the circumstances I’m in right now. 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 being a human being.