Foreign
Marta Kostyuk Dedicates Maiden WTA Title to People Fighting and Dying in Ukraine
Marta Kostyuk, a Ukrainian tennis player, dedicated her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour title to the people fighting and dying in Ukraine after winning against Russia‘s Varvara Gracheva in the ATX Open. Kostyuk, ranked 40, secured a 6-3 7-5 victory over Gracheva in Austin, Texas, in her first-ever WTA final.
During the presentation ceremony, Kostyuk mentioned that winning this title was incredibly special, given her circumstances.
She further stated that she would like to dedicate the title to Ukraine and all the people fighting and dying there.
Kostyuk has been the most vocal player about allowing Russian and Belarusian players to keep playing on tour following the invasion of Ukraine, frequently criticizing tennis players from these countries for not condemning the war.
She did not shake hands with Gracheva after the match.
In another match at the WTA tournament in Monterrey, Mexico, Croatian Donna Vekic won her fourth title by defeating top seed Caroline Garcia with a score of 6-4 3-6 7-5.
Vekic was ranked outside the top 100 a year ago due to knee surgery, but she has had an outstanding past six months, including reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, lifting her ranking up to 23 in the standings.
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Credit: https://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/sport/national/23364836.marta-kostyuk-dedicates-maiden-title-people-fighting-dying-ukraine/
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