"They want drama, they wanted all this heating between players" - Marta Kostyuk slams journalists for seemingly forgetting Russia-Ukraine war

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk recently slammed journalists for no longer covering the Russia-Ukraine war. Kostyuk has advanced to the fourth round of the 2024 Australian Open after registering a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Russia's Elina Avanesyan on Friday, January 19.

Kostyuk has been vocal against Russia's actions since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022. She has also denied shaking hands with Russian tennis players in a show of disapproval on several occasions.

Kostyuk recently expressed frustration with journalists who overlook the serious situation in her country and instead concentrate on the controversies between athletes.

"I respect journalists, but there are some that I really don't like. I think it was a way of not really lightening up the situation in Ukraine, but rather it being like breaking news all the time. So they want the drama. They wanted news. They wanted all this heating between players and everything," she told the press.

The 21-year-old continued:

"People are still dying every day. I still don't understand what all these players are doing here. I feel like in general it's a lot of processes happening to come to this point where people forget about it because, yeah, people get used to it. Yeah, unfortunately it's not breaking news anymore, so journalists are not interested in it."

The World No. 37 further asserted that she would continue to raise her voice against the injustices.

"I understand that everyone has their own issues, and everyone is focused on their thing. I think I'm here to remind everyone all the time that it's still on, and it should be stopped," Marta Kostyuk said.

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Marta Kostyuk: "My mom sends me videos when there are missiles flying over their house"

Marta Kostyuk

During the same press conference in Melbourne, Marta Kostyuk revealed that her mother, Talina Beiko, sends her videos of missiles being launched into Kyiv from the Russian installments.

"My whole family is in Kyiv right now. My mom sends me videos when there are missiles flying over their house. I watch this. To me it's incredible that it's still going on, and it's been almost two years," she stated.

Kostyuk continued:

"In reality, the reality that I'm living in, is everything is very far from being over. We are not in a good -- not that we're not in a good position now. We're just in survival mode for the last two years."

Marta Kostyuk will lock horns with either Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia or Russia's Maria Timofeeva on Sunday, January 21 in her fourth-round match at the Australian Open.