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Ukrainian player Lesia Tsurenko shared a message to people celebrating her loss against Belarus's Aryna Sabalenka at the 2024 Australian Open, taking a dig at them for feeling happy about her disappointment.
Tsurenko lost to Sabalenka 6-0, 6-0 in the third round at the Australian Open on Friday. The World No. 2 needed only 52 minutes to get past Tsurenko.
After the loss, the Ukrainian seemingly received a slew of spiteful messages, which prompted her to come out with a powerful response. The World No. 33 sarcastically asked people to continue to be happy for her loss.
"I noticed that my loss yesterday made a lot of people happy. so my new post is for you. please feel free to express whatever you want to me. I hope this will make you happy for a little bit longer," wrote Tsurenko.
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She then narrated the heartbreaking story of her friend, who was recently freed from Russian captivity. Tsurenko called this "real happiness," contrasting it with the emotion people were getting from celebrating her loss.
"But you know, on the eve of the new year, my friend returned from russian captivity after 1.5 years. lost 55 kilograms of body weight and with an infection in his legs, but the main thing is that he is alive. this is real happiness," she wrote.
"So I hope that you will also have real reasons to feel happy in your, and not because of the loss of some random tennis player whom you have never even met in your life," continued Tsurenko.
Lesia Tsurenko finished her message with a hashtag in Ukrainian, saying 'Glory to Ukraine'.
Lesia Tsurenko's start to the 2024 season
Lesia Tsurenko started her 2024 season at the ASB Classic. She defeated Sachia Vickery in the first round 7-5, 6-4 but fell to Diane Parry in the second round 6-2, 4-6, 1-6.
Next, the World No. 33 played at the Australian Open, where the Ukrainian faced Lucia Bronzetti in the first round. After losing the first set, Tsurenko bounced back to defeat the Italian 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Tsurenko went on to defeat Rebeka Masarova 6-3, 6-4 to set up a third-round encounter against the defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. However, the World No. 2 proved to be too strong for her, as Sabalenka double-bageled the Ukrainian in less than an hour.
