CNN
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Ukrainian tennis participant Marta Kostyuk refused to shake arms together with her Russian opponent Varvara Gracheva after claiming victory within the last of the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.
Kostyuk defeated Gracheva 6-Three 7-5, collapsing to the courtroom after changing match level, earlier than refusing to shake arms with the Russian.
The 20-year-old, who’s from Kyiv, mentioned at January’s Australian Open that she wouldn’t shake arms with any Russian or Belarusian opponent with warfare raging in her nation.
She refused to shake arms with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on the US Open in September final 12 months. Belarus is getting used as a key staging floor for Russia’s warfare in Ukraine.
Kostyuk devoted her maiden WTA singles title to her native nation throughout the trophy presentation.
“Being within the place that I’m in proper now, it’s extraordinarily particular to win this title,” Kostyuk mentioned.
“And I wish to dedicate this title to Ukraine and to all of the folks which can be combating and dying proper now.”
Kostyuk didn’t acknowledge the overwhelmed finalist in her acceptance speech.
The match win, the primary for a Ukrainian girl since Elina Svitolina in 2021, elevated Kostyuk to No. 40 within the WTA rankings.
Among the many grand slams, solely Wimbledon has banned Russian and Belarusian gamers from competing, resulting in a $1 million positive by the lads’s tour.
Russian and Belarusian gamers have been allowed to play on the Australian Open this 12 months with out their flag or nation displayed.