Overview

• Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk shook hands with Daria Kasatkina after a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the Italian Open's second round, breaking her long-standing boycott of handshakes with Russian and Belarusian opponents.
• Kostyuk commended Kasatkina for her vocal opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and her decision to relinquish Russian sports citizenship in favor of representing Australia.
• Kasatkina, ranked 15th in the world, officially switched her national representation to Australia in March 2025, citing personal safety concerns as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and her opposition to Russian policies.
• This marks Kasatkina's third tournament competing under the Australian flag, where her record now stands at two wins and three losses.
• Kostyuk emphasized the significance of Kasatkina's actions, stating that speaking out and taking a stand against aggression requires courage and deserves respect.