Aryna Sabalenka said on Friday that “it’s okay if she hates me” as the Belarusian star braced to face Ukraine rival Marta Kostyuk in a highly-charged French Open showdown. World No. 2 Sabalenka knows that Kostyuk, an outspoken critic of tennis authorities over their handling of players from Russia and their Belarusian allies in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, will refuse to shake hands after their first round match at Roland Garros. “If she hates me, OK. I can’t do anything about that,” said Sabalenka, 25.

Agree to touch racquets

“There are going to be people who love me; there are going to be people who hate me. If she hates me, I don’t feel anything like that to her.” Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Belarus’s two-time Grand Slam title winner and former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka at last year’s US Open in New York. They agreed to touch racquets instead at the net at the end of the match. “If I could I would stop the war,” said Australian Open champion Sabalenka. “And about the no shaking, I can kind of understand them. Like I imagine if they’re going to shake hands with Russians and Belarusians, then they’re gonna get so many messages from their home countries.