"Look at what Rafa, Novak said, how can you get support from tour when top 3 players say these things" - Marta Kostyuk on Nadal and Djokovic not supporting Wimbledon decision
Ukrainian WTA player Marta Kostyuk has slammed Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for not supporting Wimbledon's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from this year's Championships.
Wimbledon's decision in the wake of Russia's Ukraine invasion has divided the tennis fraternity right down the middle. The ATP and WTA recently docked ranking points from this year's Championships for discriminating against players on the basis of nationality and setting a dangerous precedent. This has essentially reduced this year's tournament to an exhibition event.
BREAKING:
ATP removes ranking points from #Wimbledon this year because of their ban of Russian and Belarusian players. https://t.co/7WLmIt2jWM
Top players like Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray have criticised Wimbledon for their stance against Russian and Belarusian athletes. This has put them at loggerheads with Ukrainian players like Kostyuk and the recently retired Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Speaking about Wimbledon's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players, the 19-year-old Kostyuk said that she wants her colleagues, especially the top players, to comprehend the graveness of the situation.
"I want my fellow players to support and understand the situation and be vocal on some things as well," said the Ukrainian. "But I mean, look at what Rafa said, look at what Novak said. How can you get the support from the tour when top three players say these things?" she added.
While Djokovic condemned the grasscourt Major for taking the "wrong decision," Nadal said it was unfair on his "Russian tennis mates."
"I think it's very unfair (on) my Russian tennis mates, my colleagues. It's not their fault what's happening in this moment with the war," the Spaniard said.
Meanwhile, Murray spoke about his understanding of the situation.
"My understanding of the guidance was that Russians and Belarusians can play if they sign a declaration that they're against the war and against the Russian regime," he said.
"There were way bigger things in life than tennis, I don't think a lot of people faced what I've been facing" - Marta Kostyuk
Marta Kostyuk, 19, recently pulled out of a doubles match against the Russian pair of Veronika Kudermetova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Rome.
Explaining the same, she said that she wanted to win to be "heard," but the pressure she felt was unrelenting because of "problems on the other side."
"I started crying on love-three," she said. "Before the match, I was really pumped, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna win, and when I went on court, I felt so weird. I started crying and I started talking to my coaches. I said, 'I cannot be here, I don't know why I'm playing. I have to win to be heard, but I don't because there are other problems on the other side, which I'm facing. So a lot of pressure around.'"
Yep, Kostyuk retired.. just left twitter.com/moooonballer/sā¦ https://t.co/V8ZKH2glx1
Kostyuk, who got her family out of Ukraine, is still reeling from the nightmare that has befallen her nation following Russia's invasion. She is working with two psychologists to deal with the same.
Opining that not many people have gone through the same trauma that she has, Kostyuk said that tennis can seem trivial at such moments.
"Suddenly there were way bigger things in life than tennis. I don't think a lot of people faced what I've been facing," said Kostyuk.
The 19-year-old lost in the first round at the French Open, and it's not known if she'll play Wimbledon this year.