Overview

• Marta Kostyuk defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-2 in the Italian Open's second round, marking her first victory against Kasatkina since the latter switched allegiance to Australia.
• Kostyuk broke her longstanding protest of refusing handshakes with Russian and Belarusian players to honor Kasatkina’s decision to renounce Russian sports citizenship.
• Kasatkina, now representing Australia, has openly criticized Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws and its invasion of Ukraine, actions Kostyuk described as courageous.
• Since becoming an Australian resident in March, Kasatkina has struggled on the court, holding a 2-3 record in her first three tournaments under her new nationality.
• Russian and Belarusian players continue to compete under neutral flags due to war-related sanctions imposed by the WTA.