Marta Kostyuk has hit out on the crowd of French Open spectators that booed her within the aftermath of her defeat to Aryna Sabalenka and insisted they need to be 'embarrassed' by their behaviour. The Ukrainian walked off straight off courtroom with out shaking Sabalenka's hand following her straight-sets loss by the hands of her Belarusian opponent amid ongoing rigidity between the gamers as a result of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Kostyuk provoked an offended response from spectators who booed her as she headed for the dressing room after snubbing Sabalenka as she walked to her chair. At first, Sabalenka was left confused as a result of she thought she was being focused by the followers on Court Philippe Chatrier. But it quickly emerged they'd focused Kostyuk with their jeers because the 20-year-old walked sheepishly off courtroom.

And she conceded she was not anticipating such a hostile response to snubbing Sabalenka, telling these within the stadium they need to be ashamed of their actions. “I did not expect it. I have no reaction to it but people should be, honestly, embarrassed,” she instructed reporters. She added: “I want to know how they will feel about that [booing her] in 10 years, when the war is over. I don’t think they will feel great.”

The Ukrainian vowed to proceed to refuse to shake palms with Russian and Belarusian opponents - and stated she anticipated a special response on the subsequent Grand Slam. She added: “I said that I will not do it, and I don't know why people think I'll suddenly change my mind.

“I'm pretty sure I would because Wimbledon banned them last year, and when I was in U.K. last year, the people were reacting to us differently even on the street literally. I felt a lot of support, so I'm pretty sure their reaction would be different.” Kostyuk additionally welcomed assist from Wimbledon who can pay for 2 resort rooms for Ukrainians in the course of the grasscourt season.

“It just makes me believe that there are good people in this world left,” she stated. And Kostyuk, who has campaigned towards Russian and Belarusian gamers showing on the WTA and ATP Tours, renewed her name for them to be refused entry into the nation for Wimbledon.

“I just hope that someone like the UK, for example, will just not grant visas and they will not be able to enter the country, and they will not play,” she stated. “As of now I think this is the only reasonable idea because we did everything.”

And the Ukrainian had little sympathy for Sabalenka when a journalist in her post-match press convention claimed that the Belarusian was in a “difficult position” relating to the conflict.

“I don't know why it's a difficult situation for her,” stated Kostyuk. “Since the beginning of the war, all of them have had a very difficult situation, and I don't understand what is difficult about it, you know?

“She might be world No 1 after this tournament, and she's going to be world No 1 in one of the most known sports in the world. I don't know. If you check the statistics in Russia, who support the war or who don't, in Russia there is 80 per cent or 85 per cent of people who support this war.

"Just by speaking out, I think she can just send some message. Someone like Aryna, she has a big platform of people who support her. I speak out about things. And just to reject her responsibility of having an opinion on the most important things in the world, I cannot respect it.

“She said that I hate her. I never said publicly nor privately nor to anyone that I hate Aryna Sabalenka or any of the players. I just don't respect her because of her position in all of - in this situation.

“Because hate or love, it's an emotion. Okay, like, people can love me, people can hate me. I don't care. That's what she said. I don't care either.

“But if someone doesn't respect me, hmm, then I don't feel nice, you know, because respect is not an emotion. I don't understand why she's in a difficult situation, honestly. I don't understand.”

It isn't the primary time Kostyuk has refused to shake palms with a fellow participant, having additionally snubbed Russia's Anastasia Potapova at the Miami Open in March. Potapova had been warned by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for turning up to her Indian Wells match against Jessica Pegula while wearing a Spartak Moscow football shirt.

But while Sabalenka made no public display of support for the war in Russia, Kostyuk confirmed earlier this year she could not be “friends” while their countries were “at war”. Sabalenka, who said she felt Kostyuk did not deserve to be booed, admitted she initially thought the crowd were targeting her for abuse, having been jeered in different tournaments.

“It was a very tough match, I mean tough emotionally,” the world No 2 said. “I'm sorry guys, I didn't get it at first, I thought this mooing was against me so I was a little surprised. But then I felt your support, so thank you so much.”