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Marta Kostyuk recalled a horrific incident from the ongoing war between Russia and her home country Ukraine that severely impacted her mentally. The Ukrainian tennis star said that she felt 'sick for three days' and was deeply overwhelmed by the incident.
Kostyuk won her maiden WTA title at the ATX Open in Austin last month. She later dedicated her victory to her compatriots and those suffering due to the war waged by Russia, also chanting the phrase "Glory to Ukraine!" Not long after that, the 20-year-old came across a video of a Ukrainian soldier being executed after uttering the same phrase, and Kostyuk was left quite shocked thereafter.
Speaking to the publication Idnes in a recent interview, Kostyuk admitted that she has experienced many difficult moments during the war, but none more so than this one.
"A series of shocking events just float past me. But there's one that's completely overwhelmed and paralyzed me. It made me sick for three days," Marta Kostyuk said.
"When I won the trophy in Austin, I said in my thank-you speech, "Glory to Ukraine!" And then I saw a video of our soldier digging his own grave and saying the same salute. Whereupon he is executed. He was killed for using the same words that I used."
Meanwhile, Kostyuk announced her engagement to her boyfriend over the weekend.
Marta Kostyuk questions WTA's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete
Marta Kostyuk recently also criticized the WTA for not taking action against Russian and Belarusian players in light of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Kostyuk feels that athletes from both countries should have been banned from competing on tour as they also have an advantage over Ukrainian athletes, who are suffering due to the war.
"And in these conditions we have to compete with the representatives of aggressor countries, because the WTA decided not to ban them. Ukrainians are in such conditions because of what Russia and Belarus are doing. In other words, these countries with their actions knowingly created an advantage for their athletes over Ukrainian athletes," Kostyuk stated during a recent online meeting with fellow Ukrainian players.
Kostyuk last competed in Ukraine's Billie Jean King Cup tie against the Czech Republic over the weekend. After losing in straight sets to Marketa Vondrousova in her first match, she came back strong to stun Barbora Krejcikova 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. However, Team Ukraine lost the tie 3-1.
