Belarusian Azarenka beats Ukraine’s Kostyuk to reach third round at US Open, no handshake at the end

Victoria Azarenka won against Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday and will now play the winner of the match between Spaniard Paula Badosa, the No 4 seed, and Croat Petra Martic in the third round

Victoria Azarenka and Marta Kostyuk, US Open 2022 | © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Tennis Majors

September 1, 2022

Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 26 seed, won against Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-3 to move into the third round of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on Thursday.

The match had a little more spice than normal after Kostyuk had criticised Azarenka’s intended presence in the Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition on the eve of the US Open because of Belarus’s involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the end, Azarenka was withdrawn from the event.

Victoria Azarenka, US Open 2022 | © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

I always shake hands with my opponents. I had the same situation with Yastremska in Washington. It is what it is. I just move on.
Vika Azarenka

“Well, I wasn’t surprised”, Azarenka said to the media. “I don’t believe that making a big deal out of it is important. I always shake hands with my opponents. I had the same situation with Yastremska in Washington. It is what it is. I just move on. I cannot force anybody to shake my hand. It’s their decision.”

“How did it make me feel? It’s not the most important thing in the world right now.”

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Azarenka, ranked No 26, will face the winner of the match between Spaniard Paula Badosa, the No 4 seed, and Croat Petra Martic next. Ahead of her victory, the 33-year-old Belarusian beat American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger (6-1, 4-6, 6-2). Kostyuk, ranked No 65, won against Egyptian Mayar Sherif (7-6 (2), 6-4) in the previous round.