Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk clinched her maiden singles title at the ATX Open in Austin on Sunday. Her opponent was Russia’s Varvara Gracheva, who did not receive a post-match handshake. The 20-year-old, who was seeded eighth in the tournament, defeated Gracheva in an hour and 32 minutes, with a score of 6-3, 7-5. However, after the match, she did not stop to engage in niceties with her Russian counterpart on the other side of the court.

Kostyuk’s decision to not shake Gracheva’s hand is not the first time the young player has refrained from the custom. Last year, Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka following their match at the US Open. Both players tapped their rackets on the net instead.

Marta Kostyuk is taking a stern stance

Kostyuk has been vocal about her opposition to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk said, “Everyone who is in the stands and everyone who is watching, especially in Ukraine, I want to say ‘Slava Ukraini.'” In the Ukrainian native tongue, the phrase means, “Glory to Ukraine.”

Read more- ‘No Open Help From Her…’ – Ukrainian Tennis Star Marta Kostyuk Lashes Out at US Open Organizers for Inviting Victoria Azarenka to Play a Charity Match

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Marta’s actions have become viral just like it had after her US Open match with Victoria Azarenka. Several accounts on Twitter have covered this incident with witty captions of their own.

However, other accounts have focused on Marta’s win and sent her hearty congratulations for her first title.

While some people have supported Kostyuk’s decision, others have criticized her for bringing politics into the sport. The debate surrounding the issue of politics in sports has been ongoing, with some arguing that players should separate their political views from their performances on the court.

Kostyuk dedicates her first win to her war-torn country

Regardless of the controversy, Kostyuk’s victory is a significant milestone in her career. She chose to dedicate this win to the people of Ukraine. She held up her trophy at the ceremony and proudly said, “Being in the position that I’m in right now, it’s extremely special to win this title. I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine and all of the people who are fighting and dying right now.”

Kostyuk’s stance on the issue will likely continue to be a topic of discussion in the tennis world as she climbs the rankings and plays against opponents from various countries. The young player is currently ranked 37th in the world and has a promising future ahead of her.

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