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Kostyuk Snubs Sabalenka After Brisbane Final

Marta Kostyuk made a political statement after losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the Brisbane International final.
Pat Benson|
Aryna Sabalenka and Marta Kostyuk took separate pictures after the Brisbane International final.
Aryna Sabalenka and Marta Kostyuk took separate pictures after the Brisbane International final. | IMAGO / AAP

There was a flurry of finals across tennis early Sunday morning. One of the most intriguing matches was the surging Marta Kostyuk taking on World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Brisbane International.

Sabalenka picked up her first title of the year at the WTA 500 event by defeating Kostyuk in straight sets: 6-4, 6-3. Instead of the usual practice of congratulating your opponent and sharing pictures, Kostyuk had other plans.

The Ukrainian snubbed the Belarusian after the match. Kostyuk skipped the post-match handshake, reportedly asked to take separate pictures, and did not acknowledge Sabalenka in her on-court speech.

Of course, this stems from tensions over the Russo-Ukrainian War. Kostyuk used her platform after the match to highlight what her home country is experiencing. Kostyuk thanked everyone involved in the tournament, including "all of my opponents." However, she never mentioned Sabalenka by name.

Kostyuk continued, "I want to say a few words about Ukraine. I play every day with a pain in my heart and there is thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now it's -20 degrees outside so it's very, very painful to live this reality every day.

And you know it's very hot here in Brisbane so it's difficult to imagine this you know but my sister is sleeping under three blankets because of how cold it is at home. So, I was incredibly moved and happy to see so many Ukrainian fans and flags this week, too."

Sabalenka seemed to take it all in stride and congratulated Kostyuk, "First of all, I want to start by congratulating Marta and her team for an incredible start of the season."

She added, "I wish you all the best, and this season it seems like it's going to be great tennis, and I hope we are going to meet each other many more times in the finals to show great tennis."

Sabalenka has previously stated that she does not support the war, and later explained that she had no issue with Kostyuk's refusal to shake her hand after the match.

"It's their position," Sabalenka said. "What can I do? I don't mind that. I don't care about that. "When I go into the match, it's all about tennis and sport. When I go out there, I think about my tennis and the things I have to do to get the win. It doesn't matter if it's Marta Kostyuk or Jessica Pegula there. I still go out there, and I still try my best, and I'll still fight for the trophy."

Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis style news from the court and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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