Join Kostyuk's rally against using 'Russia's murderous flag' in tennis events

Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk has urged the media to stop using the Russian flag after Australian Open management decided to use it in the ongoing competition.

Both Ukraine and Russia have been involved in an armed conflict since 2022 which has resulted in the loss of lives on both sides.

Kostyuk, who recently defeated Maria Timofeeva of Russia in the fourth-round tie of the first Grand Slam of the year in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1, was highly critical of Australian Open management for using the flag of what she called ‘a murderous country’ in a post on social media platform X — previously known as Twitter.

“As you know, with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we fought for the suspension of the Russian and Belarusian athletes,” she wrote. “Now they act in a neutral status, without their flags. We have repeatedly asked the question what is the status of a neutral athlete because it actually does not exist.

“So today, after my victory over the athlete from the aggressor country, the Russian flag was published on the official resource of one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world. Today is the 697th day of full-scale war. And the sports world continues to promote a murderous country. A country that uses its athletes as a part of its propaganda.

“I call on media representatives, officials and the sports community to stop using the tennis court to promote ‘Russian Peace’.”

Kostyuk will now face America’s Coco Gauff in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open on Monday.