Marta Kostyuk snubs Daria Kasatkina at Japan Open, clicks pre-match photo separately amid Russia-Ukraine conflict

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk refused to take a pre-match photo with Russia's Daria Kasatkina during their first-round meeting at the 2023 Toray Pan Pacific Open earlier on Tuesday (September 26).

Ever since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kostyuk has made a routine out of not greeting Russian and Belarusian tennis players at the net. While the World No. 45 intends to show solidarity towards her country through this move, it has left a sour taste in many fans' mouths lately.

The 21-year-old took a separate photo at the net with the young volunteer as her older opponent waited eagerly for their warm-up to begin. Kostyuk was quick to get off the blocks during the match, breaking Kasatkina at 2-1 before nabbing the opening set 6-3.

Six consecutive breaks of serve followed in the second set as both players struggled to find their rhythm. The World No. 13 Russian, however, stayed patient before breaking Marta Kostyuk twice more to take the second set 6-4.

The deciding set also played out in similar fashion, as Kasatkina broke her younger opponent twice towards the end of the set to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The two players didn't shake each other's hands after the match, which was expected considering how Kostyuk vowed to not shake Russians and Belarusians' hands in January this year.

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Marta Kostyuk has made it clear that she won't shake Russian and Belarusian tennis players' hands

Marta Kostyuk snubbed Aryna Sabalenka at this year's French Open

For what it's worth, this is not the first time Marta Kostyuk has refused to greet a Russian player at the net.

The tension from the Russia-Ukraine conflict first spilled over into the Ukrainian's professional life at the 2022 US Open, when she refused to shake Belarusian Victoria Azarenaka's hand following their second-round match.

Kostyuk subsequently made it a routine to shun Russians and Belarusians at the net. She also refused to partake in the customary handshake after beating Russia's Varvara Gracheva in the 2023 ATX Open final in Austin, Texas.

The Ukrainian courted plenty of controversy for the above incident, but that wasn't the last time she would snub a Russian or a Belarusian at the net.

Weeks later, she refused to shake hands with Anastasia Potapova as well, after being beaten by the Russian in their second-round match at the 2023 Miami Open.

More recently, Marta Kostyuk was subjected to loud boos and jeers at the 2023 French Open when she didn't embrace Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka at the net following their first-round clash.