Marta Kostyuk, the Ukrainian Wimbledon semi-finalist, has condemned the prospect of Russian athletes being allowed to compete at the 2028 Olympics, describing the move as “terrible”. The 24-year-old, who earned her place in the last four at the All England Club for the first time, insisted that the controversy will not derail her focus as she chases a place in the final.
Speaking after her straight-sets win over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, Kostyuk said she believes the decision would fall well short of sporting ideals. She said she would not be distracted by the wider debate surrounding Los Angeles, adding that it is “very, very far from fair play” not only for Ukraine but for all countries involved.
“My thoughts are that it’s terrible,” Kostyuk said. “I think it’s very, very far from fair play for all the countries involved here, not just for Ukraine.”
She added that while many people have already voiced their disagreement, she does not expect the stance to change. Kostyuk said, “I 100% don’t agree with this decision. But I feel like a lot of people spoke out on this issue. They obviously don’t agree, as well. I don’t think anything is going to change.”
With the Olympic situation hanging over the sport, Kostyuk outlined how she intends to respond on court if she gets the chance to face Russian players in Los Angeles. “I just want to go out there and hopefully beat every single Russian I play in the Olympics, and that’s it.”
Her comments come after the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee on Tuesday, a development widely seen as a major step toward Russia’s re-entry into Olympic competition. The ROC had been suspended in October 2023 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev said the IOC’s ruling should clear the way for Russian athletes to return fully to the international sporting arena. Kostyuk, however, suggested that any discussion involving tennis bodies such as World Tennis would have to wait until after Wimbledon.
“I’m sure we’re going to do something about it,” she said. “I’m definitely not going to be doing this before my semi-final match.”
She indicated she would look to address the issue once her tournament schedule allows, saying she might speak further in the United States or wherever she finds time, including to consult with her team, the women around her, and government representatives. “Maybe I can talk more about it in the U.S. or wherever, whenever I have time to talk to the team, to the girls, to the government as well, see what we’re going to do about it.”
Kostyuk also spoke candidly about the personal strain of trying to prepare for elite tennis while the war continues to affect her home country. She said focusing on the sport has been difficult, particularly in the wake of attacks on Kyiv, which she has been vocal about throughout the conflict.
“It was really tough for me last week when the first big attack happened,” she said. “Then on Monday they ruined like four streets of residential buildings. It was like 5 km away from where my parents live.”
She described further nights of danger and the grim reality faced by civilians, including children. “Again, another difficult night and a lot of dead people, innocent people, kids. It’s not easy. I tried to be aware of everything that’s going on. Of course, I try for these things not to influence me too much. Every day is different. I cope with it as it goes.”
