‘They should be embarrassed’: Ukraine’s Kostyuk calls out French Open crowd after boos
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk took issue with the French Open’s notoriously fickle crowd, and players’ silence over the war in her home country, after she was booed off the court on Sunday for declining to shake hands with her Belarusian opponent on an otherwise unremarkable opening day at Roland Garros.
Kostyuk, the world number 39, had warned she would not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players due to the ongoing war in Ukraine – a stance she and other Ukrainian athletes have stuck to since Moscow’s forces invaded their country last year, with support from Belarus.
The 20-year-old from Kyiv duly avoided her opponent on Court Philippe Chatrier, the French Open’s showpiece arena, after losing 6-3 6-2 in a lopsided contest with world number two Aryna Sabalenka. But she was taken aback by what followed.
A significant part of the crowd booed and whistled at her as she skipped the customary handshake at the net and walked straight to the umpire. The noise only got louder as she picked up her gear and walked off the court.
“I have to say, I didn’t expect it,” Kostyuk later said at a lengthy post-match press conference. “But I have no reaction to it. People should be honestly embarrassed, but this is not my call. I don’t know. I feel fine.”
A confused Sabalenka initially thought that the boos were aimed at her. She responded with a sarcastic bow, at first, before acknowledging the crowd and thanking them for their support. She later said her opponent did not deserve to leave the court in such a manner, suggesting that the crowd might not have been aware of the protests by Ukrainian athletes.
“We all know Ukrainian girls will not shake hands with us, so it’s kind of not a surprise for us,” Sabalenka said at her press conference. “But probably the public today was surprised. They saw it as disrespect to me as a player, so that’s why it was booing her.”
Outside the Court Philippe Chatrier, spectators voiced mixed feelings about the incident.
“It’s a difficult crowd here at Roland Garros,” said Swiss-based Argentinian visitor Fernando, likening the boos to “a pure expression of the French – always finding something to complain about.”
“It’s a sensitive subject, because sportsmanship and respect for the opponent is always treasured in tennis,” added fellow Argentine Maria, a former junior player. “But with the war raging, we cannot imagine how it feels to be in Kostyuk’s shoes right now.”
