MIKE DICKSON: The first day of Roland Garros was a day of SHAME for the French Open

The first day of the French Open quickly turned into a day of embarrassment for Roland Garros.

Heaven forbid the Center Court of Wimbledon this summer reacted in the same way many spectators did to Court Philippe Chatrier after second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated Marta Kostyuk.

After losing 6-3 6-2, the Ukrainian, as is now customary, refused to shake hands with a player from one of the attacking countries, and was booed from the field.

Kostyuk had woken up at 5am to learn that her home city, Kiev – where her father and grandfather still live – had been attacked overnight by 54 drones.

In that context, it is not surprising that the Ukrainian number two would not be inclined to reverse her policy of ignoring post-match courtesies.

Kostyuk shook hands with the umpire but refused to acknowledge her opponent from Belarus Aryna Sabalenka (right), leading to supporters at Roland Garros booing her off the pitch

Sabalenka defeated Kostyuk in straight sets on the opening day of the French Open in Paris

She later couldn’t hide her horror at leaving one of the sport’s most sacred arenas: “I have to say I didn’t expect it. I don’t, but I have no response to it. People should be genuinely ashamed.

‘I want people to react to it in ten years’ time when the war is over. I don’t think they’ll feel very nice about what they’ve done.’ When Kostyuk and her compatriots arrive in England, Wimbledon will fund two free hotel rooms and help set up practice facilities. It is a response to the international tours forced to admit Russians this summer.

Based on her experience last year at SW19, Kostyuk doesn’t expect a repeat of yesterday’s scenes from the British public.

“I felt a lot of support (in 2022), so I’m pretty sure their reaction would be different.” she said.

A deep antipathy in the women’s locker room between the Ukrainians and those from Russia and Belarus has taken root since the invasion.

This is largely based on the presumption that some from the latter two countries are ambivalent at best about the war.

“I feel like you have to ask these players who they want to win the war because if you ask this question I’m not so sure these people will say they want Ukraine to win,” Kostyuk said in a statement. very loaded press. conference.

There was a black ice at the changeovers during the opening round match

Kostyuk said she was disgusted by the crowd’s reaction to Roland Garros and wondered if Sabalenka was really sincere with her comments about the war.

“She (Sabalenka) said I hate her. I have never said publicly or privately or to anyone that I hate Aryna Sabalenka or any of the players. I just don’t respect her for her position in this whole situation.

“I see these players in the dressing room every week and they haven’t dared to come and talk to me for 15 months.” At first, Sabalenka thought she was the one provoking the mob’s wrath, and she bowed back sarcastically. However, it then became clear that displeasure was being expressed at the lack of post-game etiquette.

“We all know Ukrainian girls won’t shake hands with us, so it’s not a surprise to us, but probably the audience was surprised today. They saw it as a lack of respect for me as a player, so that’s why it was an exclamation from her,” said the current Australian Open champion. “But at first I thought they were booing me. I was a little confused, and I thought, okay, what should I do?’ Sabalenka has been photographed with her dictator President Alexander Lukashenko in the past, and spent some time training in Russia in the latest off-season.

Still, she remains adamant that she supports peace, speaking about it more forcefully than ever before after the game.

“Nobody in this world, Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes, supports the war. No one. How can we support the war? Normal people will never support it.

“If it could affect the war in any way, if it could stop it, we would. But alas, it is not in our hands.’ She also condemned her opponent’s jeers: “I think she probably didn’t deserve to leave the track like that.” Kostyuk simply does not believe that some of her peers speak honestly: “I personally know tennis athletes who support the war,” she insisted. “To say no one is a bit strong, because I think you can only speak for yourself.”