Ukrainian Tennis Players Continue Silent Protest at Australian Open

Marta Kostyuk and Lesia Tsurenko refuse handshakes with Russian and Belarusian opponents, highlighting the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian tennis players Marta Kostyuk and Lesia Tsurenko continue to avoid post-match handshakes with Russian and Belarusian opponents at the Australian Open as a silent protest against the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Kostyuk defeated Russia’s Elina Avanesyan to reach the Australian Open fourth round for the first time in her career, using her platform to speak about the conditions in Ukraine.
Tsurenko, after her match with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, also avoided a handshake and expressed her struggle playing against players from Russia or Belarus.
Kostyuk and Tsurenko's actions aim to keep the plight of Ukraine in the public eye, as they fear their cause is being forgotten with Ukraine slipping down the news agenda.
Kostyuk is set to face another Russian player, Maria Timofeeva, in the fourth round of the Australian Open.