Tennis fans have shared their opinions on Marta Kostyuk's refusal to take a pre-match photo with Daria Kasatkina at the 2023 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo Japan
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk faced off against Russian player Daria Kasatkina in the first round of the WTA 500 tournament. The players took to the center court on Tuesday, September 26.
Before the match, it was expected that Kostyuk and Kasatkina would take a pre-match photo together with the guest who initiated the coin toss. However, Marta Kostyuk did not want to be in the frame with the Russians due to the ongoing conflict between their countries.
While so far, all Ukrainian players have completely avoided a pre-match photo, Kostyuk chose to pose for the photo separately. Daria Kasatkina quickly agreed and also posed alone with the guest.
World No. 13 has repeatedly spoken out against the war, but she has also faced criticism for not shaking hands with her opponents. This was evident, for example, at the French Open when she lost to Elena Rybakina. Despite Rybakina's statement that she refrained from the handshake out of respect for her Ukrainian opponent, the crowd responded with negative reactions.
The unusual incident has caught the attention of tennis fans who have shared their opinions on the controversial decision made by the Ukrainian player:
“I totally understand their standpoint in general, but Kasatkina is exactly the player they should shake hands and take pictures with. She is the nicest and most outspoken Russian player of them all. What else could she possibly do?” one fan said.
I totally understand their standpoint in general, but Kasatkina is exactly the player they should shake hands and take pictures with. She is the nicest and most outspoken Russian player of them all. What else could she possibly do?
Umm why they took the photos separately 👽
“Even though dasha is openly against the war, it would make ukrainians very upset to see a star athlete like marta pose w a russian & putin’s regime would twist the photo to look like ukrainians support russia. war is as much about optics as anything else.”
even though dasha is openly against the war, it would make ukrainians very upset to see a star athlete like marta pose w a russian & putin’s regime would twist the photo to look like ukrainians support russia. war is as much about optics as anything else
Umm why they took the photos separately 👽
“Ppl saying "why do this to kasatkina when she is so against the war" when Ukrainian players have constantly said its not abt the individuals but not wanting to show soldiers fighting the war them taking pics with Russian players as if nothing is happening,” one fan said.
ppl saying "why do this to kasatkina when she is so against the war" when Ukrainian players have constantly said its not abt the individuals but not wanting to show soldiers fighting the war them taking pics with Russian players as if nothing is happening
Umm why they took the photos separately 👽
legit, Dasha can’t even come to Russia because she’s completely against the war what are u doing Kostyuk
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I can't believe 😮💨
It's weird. After all this time of the no-handshake situation, it never even occurred to me that the pre match photo would be problematic also. This is to be expected but its still sad to see, especially when its Dasha. At the same time, she totally understands.
