Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk rejects handshake from Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka at US Open

‘She’s a great competitor, I respect her as an athlete, but that has nothing to do with her being a human being’

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk on Thursday refused to shake hands with her Belarusian opponent Victoria Azarenka and instead opted for a racket tap after their second-round match at the US Open.

Kostyuk was defeated 6-2, 6-3 by Azarenka.

The 20-year-old Ukrainian has been among the most vocal critics of the lack of condemnation from Russian and Belarusian players to the invasion of her country.