Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk lashed out Thursday at the tennis world’s response to the Russian invasion of her homeland, saying anti-war platitudes weren’t enough for a country plunged into turmoil and fear.

Kostyuk saved two match points in an emotional 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 victory over Ukrainian-born Belgian Maryna Zanevska in the first round at the Indian Wells WTA Masters.

But she admitted that she thought about not taking the court at all over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

“Honestly, in the current mental state that I’m in, it was very tough to go on court,” the 19-year-old said.

Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

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