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Several tennis fans have shared their opinion on Marta Kostyuk refusing to click a pre-match picture with Daria Kasatkina at the 2023 Japan Open.
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk was drawn against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina in the opening round of the WTA 500 tournament. The players took to the Centre Court in Tokyo on Tuesday, September 26.
Kostyuk and Kasatkina were expected to click a pre-match picture together with the guest who initiated their coin toss. Kostyuk, however, did not wish to be in the frame with the Russian due to their countries’ ongoing conflict.
While all Ukrainian players have previously avoided a pre-match picture altogether, Kostyuk decided to pose for the picture separately. Daria Kasatkina promptly obliged and posed with the guest independently as well.
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The bizarre incident caught tennis fans’ attention and they shared their opinions about the Ukrainian’s controversial decision.
Kasatkina has been one of the players who has publicly voiced her disagreement about the ongoing war. Many fans thus expressed disappointment in Kostyuk, and claimed that the Russian was being treated unfairly.
“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.
Another fan said that while the tennis world is familiar with the Ukrainian players’ no post-match handshake stance, this incident came as a surprise.
“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,” the fan said.
Many fans condemned Kostyuk's behaviour, although a few expressed their understanding of the situation too.
“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.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Daria Kasatkina defeats Marta Kostyuk at the 2023 Japan Open
Daria Kasatkina defeated Marta Kostyuk in the opening round of the 2023 Japan Open on Tuesday, September 26.
The Russian, who lost the opening set, bounced back to complete the comeback win 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 24 minutes. Kasatkina has thus leveled her head-to-head record against the Ukrainian to 2-2.
Kasatkina, who is vying for a seventh career title, will now face Greece’s Despina Papamichail in the second round of the WTA 500 event.
