In 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves across the world, coinciding with the arrival of tennis players at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Three years later, the conflict persists, and Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk reflects on what it means to compete in the United States amid shifting political tensions and ongoing struggles at home.
Kostyuk has remained one of the most outspoken voices on the issue. Following the Ukrainian’s commanding 6-1 6-3 victory over wildcard Robin Montgomery in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, an American reporter—prefacing his question with the clarification that he does not align with current U.