Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk has voiced her strong opposition to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to provisionally lift Russia's ban from the Olympic Games. The move paves the way for Russian athletes to compete in the Los Angeles Olympics.
Kostyuk, who recently reached her first Wimbledon semi-final, described the decision as "terrible" and contrary to fair play principles for all involved nations. "I just want to go out there and hopefully beat every single Russian I play in the Olympics, and that's it," Kostyuk stated.
The timing of the IOC's decision comes as Kostyuk continues to navigate the emotional impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine. She shared that recent attacks on residential buildings near her parents' home in Kyiv have been difficult to process. "It was really tough for me last week when the first big attack happened. Then, on Monday, they ruined like four streets of residential buildings. It was like five kilometres away from where my parents live," she said.
Kostyuk plans to raise her concerns with the International Tennis Federation. Her comments follow a significant win over 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini, with a score of 6-3, 6-2, securing her place in the Wimbledon semi-finals. This marks a historic achievement, as she becomes only the second Ukrainian to reach this stage at Wimbledon, following Elina Svitolina.
Kostyuk's current form shows 22 wins in her last 23 matches, with her sole defeat during this streak occurring in the semi-finals at Roland Garros. She is scheduled to face ninth seed Linda Noskova in the upcoming semi-final. Noskova advanced after defeating Elise Mertens in a close match. The resurgence of Czech tennis talent is notable, with three of the last ten Wimbledon champions since 2014 hailing from the Czech Republic.