'I wasn't surprised' - Victoria Azarenka not bothered by handshake snub from Marta Kostyuk at the US Open

Victoria Azarenka and Martya Kostyuk did not shake hands after their US Open second round match on Thursday, but the Belarusian insists she has no issue with the Ukrainian. Both players opted to tap racquets instead after Azarenka's 6-2 6-3 win over the 20-year-old on Court 17. Ad The match came days after Kostyuk slammed Azarenka for choosing to participate in a charity match in Ukraine before the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced she would no longer be part of it.

US Open'I have actually improved as a player' — Raducanu in confident mood ahead of US Open20/08/2022 AT 09:06 After hearing Azarenka got an invite, Kosyuk was upset that the 33-year-old had not reached out to her. She said: «I did not understand the reason why they called Victoria Azarenka. There was no open help from her in our direction.

She did not communicate with me, but I know that she communicated with Serhiy Stakhovsky, with Gael Monfils in Madrid.” Azarenka said she was not bothered about the pair not shaking hands on Thursday and that she is always available to Kostyuk as a member of the WTA's players' council. »I wasn't surprised," the world No. 26 told reporters after her straight sets victory.

«I don't believe that making a big deal out of it is important. I always shake hands with my opponents. I had the same situation with [Dayana] Yastremska in Washington.

It is what it is. I just move on. I cannot force anybody to shake my hand.

»It's their decision. How did it make me feel? It's not the most important thing in the world right now. «I don't need to sit here and pat myself on the back.