Last year, the sports universe witnessed one of its saddest moments. In February 2022, the Ukrainians witnessed a major escalation of the 2014 Russo-Ukrainian war. Since then, there has been quite a lot of disharmony between sports stars. Some days ago, the tennis universe witnessed a reaction to the ongoing war but not for the first time. While that moment gathered a lot of controversy, Arsenal soccer star Oleksandr Zinchenko expressed his thoughts on ‘shaking hands’ with Russian athletes.

The entire controversy started after Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka, a Belarusian athlete.

Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko agrees with the ongoing narrative!

Hours ago, famous talk show host Piers Morgan released an interview tapping into the mindset of a Ukrainian athlete. He invited Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko for the latest episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored. During the conversation, Morgan diverted toward the recent viral incident at the 2023 French Open. He then asked the fullback whether he would shake hands with Russian opponents.

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Without any hesitation, he said, “No chance. No chance. Because I would never accept their reaction. Honestly. I have to be honest”. The host then butted in the conversation and asked the fullback what he thinks about the ‘not shaking hands’ narrative. Morgan questioned, “Do you think it’s cowardly? The lack of reaction?”

To which, the Arsenal defender replied, “I am totally agree with this reaction. It’s not even impossible. There’s no point to explain it. The things look. You can say, but look they didn’t do anything against us or something. Yes, they did! They did. How and what? They didn’t react”.

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But what exactly happened during the 2023 French Open between Marta Kostyuk and Aryna Sabalenka? Let’s dive deeper.

What happened during the 2023 French Open between Marta Kostyuk and Aryna Sabalenka?

Unexpectedly, the 2023 French Open draw pitted the two of them in the tournament opener. Before the match, Kostyuk made it very clear that she wouldn’t shake hands with Sabalenka. Surprisingly, she stayed true to her word. The Ukrainian refused to shake hands with the Belarusian tennis star. She also refused to be a part of the pre-match photoshoot with Sabalenka.

While the crowd continued to boo her from time to time, she didn’t really engage the audience with a response. After the match, she surprisingly told the reporters, “I have to say I didn’t expect it…. People should be, honestly, embarrassed”, as compiled by Fox News.  But this isn’t the first time that Kostyuk has done such a thing. Back in 2022, the Ukrainian refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka.

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What do you think about this strict stand that several Ukrainian players have taken in response to the political tension? Let us know in the comments below.