Please mind the gap

PARIS, May 28

Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka after their first-round match at the French Open and the Ukrainian feels the Belarusian should take a stronger, more personal stand against the war.

Booing and jeering could be heard from the thin Court Philippe Chatrier crowd as Kostyuk left the court after a 6-3 6-2 loss to world No. 2 Sabalenka today.

Kostyuk has previously said she would not shake hands with tour rivals from Russia and Belarus – which is a staging ground for Moscow’s “special military operation” — if she feels they have not done enough to speak out against the invasion.

“I understand why they’re not shaking hands with us. I can imagine if they shake hands with us, what’s going to happen to them from the Ukrainian side. I understand that this isn’t personal. That’s it,” Sabalenka said. “How can we support the war? Nobody, normal people will never support it.”

To Kostyuk, it is a personal matter. “I feel like you should ask these players who would they want to win the war because if you ask this question, I’m not so sure these people will say that they want Ukraine to win,” the 20-year-old told reporters. “She (Sabalenka) never says that she personally doesn’t support this war, and I feel like journalists should change the questions that you ask these athletes because the war is already there. It’s been 15 months since the war has begun.”

Tsitsipas made to sweat

Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was made to work hard for more than three hours to book his spot in the second round with a 7-5 6-3 4-6 7-6(7) win over Czech Jiri Vesely.

The Greek, runner-up in Paris in 2021, did not expect the kind of resistance offered by a player ranked 445th in the world following a lengthy injury absence, and had to save four set points in the fourth to avoid a decider.

“I said to myself there’s no chance this is going to a fifth set. That’s what I told myself,” Tsitsipas said. “Jiri was a difficult obstacle. He gave me a hard time and I am happy I overcame it in such a fashion. “Today’s win is a very important for me,” said Tsitsipas, who has not enjoyed his best claycourt season. “I felt at times I was not going to the ball, I was staying still. When I took charge that was the moment I made that switch and won the match.” — Reuters

Day 1: highlights

SAKKARI ousted

Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari crashed out in the first round after a 7-6(5) 7-5 loss to Czech Karolina Muchova, becoming the first women’s top 10 player to exit the tournament this year. Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who reached the quarterfinals last year, beat Polish 21st seed Magda Linette 6-3 1-6 6-3.

Khachanov stretched

Russian Karen Khachanov beat Constant Lestienne of France in a tough five-setter 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-3 to reach the second round. “It was a tough match, both physically and mentally, but I’m in the next round,” Khachanov said.

High-five for HURKACZ

Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, seeded 13th, also survived a five-set thriller, seeing off David Goffin 6-3 5-7 6-4 2-6 6-4 in three hours and 40 minutes.