Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk says she was dissapointed seeing the Russian flag at the Australian Open.

Marta, who began the tournament with much anticipation, expressed her dismay at seeing Russia’s flag when her opponents from the country entered their matches.

Kostyuk hails from Ukraine and has been vocal in expressing her opposition to Russian presence in the Australian Open. She was quoted saying: “I feel like we are at home and it hurts a lot to see the flag of Russia here.”

The Australian Open has been one of Marta Kostyuk’s most successful tournaments, with her run in 2018 as the youngest player at the Grand Slam since Martina Hingis in 1996. She was defeated by Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round of this year’s Open.

Despite her loss, Marta Kostyuk is still a rising star in Ukrainian tennis, and her opposition to Russia’s presence was well-received by many supporters of Ukraine. The issue of Russia’s participation at international sporting events has been a contentious one for some time now, and Marta Kostyuk’s words have only added to the debate.

Whether or not Marta Kostyuk will be able to make a change in the future remains to be seen. In the meantime, her words have highlighted the ongoing tension between Ukraine and Russia in an increasingly public manner.

Marta Kostyuk’s comments also draw attention to the fact that many athletes from Ukraine are still unable to compete at major international competitions due to political tensions. For Marta Kostyuk, this is an issue that she has experienced first-hand, and her opposition to Russia’s presence in the Australian Open may serve as a sign of solidarity with those who are unable to compete due to ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

In the end, Marta Kostyuk’s comments have only furthered the debate on Russia’s participation in international sporting events, and her stance has been seen as a sign of hope for those who are unable to compete.