Dolgopolov defends Kostyuk amid debate over lack of handshake after Austin final: "Be quiet please because it sounds pathetic"

Former Ukranian player Alexandr Dolgopolov came to the defence of his compatriot Marta Kostyuk who didn't shake hands with her Russian opponent after their Austin final match.

Kostyuk has been the loudest Ukranian tennis player on the war in the country calling for several punishments upon Russian player. She also called out Russian player over their silence so the lack of a handshake didn't really surprise anybody. Yet, there was plenty of criticism over her action in Austin which Dolgopolov defended.

He wrote:

"I see, some still don’t get it🤦🏻‍♂️ tell this girl about the handshake, also the families of every one killed daily, about all those good and poor russians, who have nothing to do with it,surely they don’t have family or friends who voted for putin.. yet tennis let them be silent."

He also added:

"Putin has giant support in russia, we have numerous facts that even many tennis players themselves support their government and nothing has been done, tennis failed to keep the sport away from genocide, so better be quite about your hand shakes and sportsmanship clownshow."

And added:

"Oh and apart from being silent accomplices and tax payers and voters and etc., until you don’t have proof that their relatives or friends are not killing, my relatives, friends or Ukrainians daily here and fighting myself, just be quite please, because it sounds pathetic."