Ukrainian tennis player Kostyuk refused to play with Andreeva in an exhibition match
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk refused to play with 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the final of an exhibition tournament in Bourg-de-Page, France. This is reported on the tournament website.
In a statement, the organizers said that the Ukrainian athlete refused the match with Andreeva due to the “geopolitical situation.” Prior to this, she agreed to replace the injured Croatian tennis player Donna Vekic at the tournament.
On December 11, Andreeva became the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Rookie of the Year for 2023. It is noted that the award is awarded to tennis players who debuted during the season in the top 100 of the WTA rankings or achieved other achievements during the season.
In March 2023, Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Russians and Belarusians and take joint photos after the match. She explained her decision by saying that her rivals refused to condemn the authorities of their countries.
Source: Lenta
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