Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk declines handshake with Russia's Anastasia Potapova
Posted : 11 April 2023
Marta Kostyuk of the Ukraine declined to shake Anastasia Potapova's hand after the Russian defeated her at the Miami Open. After Russia invaded Ukraine last year, their two nations are at war.
The second-round match was won by Potapova, who was recently admonished for playing a match while sporting a Spartak Moscow football shirt.
Kostyuk had previously declined to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Varvara Gracheva of Russia.
Russia's principal ally in the conflict with Ukraine has been Belarus.
Kostyuk claimed there had been no response from the WTA regarding a request from Ukrainian players to meet after losing to world no. 26 Potapova.
"Yes, we wanted to have the meeting with the board and we didn't get one. No reply, nothing, just silence," she said.
She said the following in response to Potapova's reprimand for donning a Spartak football shirt: "There are a lot of things that I don't agree with that the WTA is doing. This is not going to change anything.
"I'll just get more hate online. Whatever I say, I will get a lot of hate. I don't know.
"Warning, whatever. You give her a warning... You can suspend someone, I don't know. I can't comment on that really, it's just funny."
Potapova will play American Coco Gauff next after she defeated Rebecca Marino of Canada 6-4, 6-3.
Jessica Pegula defeated Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov with a score of 6-3, 6-1, and will now face fellow American Danielle Collins, who defeated Viktoriya Tomova with a score of 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.
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