Awwwww, look at what it means to @marta_kostyuk! She reached the third round in 2022 and 2023 - and she's done it again in 2024, rallying from a set down to defeat Elise Mertens 5-7 6-1 7-6[6] #AusOpen • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis
"I truly don't understand these players": Marta Kostyuk condemns players for bowing to 'psychological pressure' and 'propaganda' in playing Russian exhibition
WTAFriday, 19 January 2024 at 21:30
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk criticized WTA and ATP players who participated in the tennis exhibition in Russia during the 2023 off-season. The 21-year-old reached the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open and defeated Russian Elina Avanesyan in the third round.
During a press conference, Kostyuk was asked about the exhibition played in St. Petersburg a few weeks ago, which featured the participation of several tennis players. She commented, "Russia is very well-known for very well psychological pressure and propaganda."
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Kostyuk has expressed multiple times that Russian and Belarusian tennis players should be excluded from tournaments and directly criticized Russia, stating, "It's really their specialty. You know, they're not bad at it. They're actually really good. People, they get caught in it. You really need to be sharp all the time."
Recently, Kostyuk withdrew from an exhibition in France after it was announced that her opponent would be the 16-year-old star Mirra Andreeva. The world No. 37 expressed her opinion that there are always choices, and tennis players often prioritize money over morals:
"Every single day there are choices in front of you about anything. I feel like as long as people are doing easy choices and the ones that benefit them the most, this is where we have a problem. Like, what's going on in the world? Look around," Kostyuk said.
"People get manipulated and get caught. It's never just tennis. Go to Russia and play this tournament where they pay you a lot of money. I'm pretty sure they just got paid a lot of money, so that's why they went there. I just have different beliefs. I truly don't understand these players. I don't know why they did it. Yeah, congrats to Russia's propaganda. It works. Not always, but it works, unfortunately," she added.
Kostyuk to fourth round
Marta Kostyuk has advanced to the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open with victories over Claire Liu (No. 99), the 25th seed Elise Mertens, and Elina Avanesyan (No. 74), all in three sets. At just 21 years old, Kostyuk reaches the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the second time in her career, recalling her run at the 2021 French Open, where she was defeated by Iga Swiatek but notably secured a victory over the two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza.
In the fourth round, she will face yet another Russian opponent, Maria Timofeeva, 20 years old, who advanced from the qualifiers and has displayed an impressive level by surprising Alize Cornet (6-2, 6-4), former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki (1-6, 4-6, 1-6), and the 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia
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