Tensions boil over in Aryna Sabalenka, Marta Kostyuk press conferences at Roland Garros

WATCH: Sabalenka was pressed on her pre-tournament statements that sports and politics ought not to mix in view of the continuing war in Ukraine.

PARIS—The tense finish to Aryna Sabalenka’s first-round Roland Garros victory over Marta Kostyuk carried into the press room when both women fielded questions by journalists over what exactly transpired on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Kostyuk, who criticized Sabalenka's decision to train in Russia and speak to the Russian media in light of the war in Ukraine, initially made good on her standing promise not to shake hands with Russian or Belarusian athletes while the latter countries’ invasion persists. The moment following Sabalenka's 6-3, 6-2 win caused boos to rain down from fans who were ostensibly unaware of her reasoning.

“I want to see people react to it in ten years when the war is over,” she said in her post-match press conference. I think they will not feel really nice about what they did.

“What happened today, I have to say I didn't expect it,” she added. “I did not, but I have no reaction to it. People should be honestly embarrassed, but this is not my call.”

Confusion continued when Sabalenka, thinking she was the target of the boos, gave a sarcastic bow in reply before confirming with umpire Louise Azemar Engzell that she was not, in fact, the reason for their reaction.

“We all know Ukrainian girls will not shake hands with us,” Sabalenka said after the match, “so it's kind of not surprise for us, but probably for the public today was surprised. They saw it as disrespect to me as a player, so that's why it was booing to her.

“I was, like, ‘Okay, what should I do?’ I spoke to my team, make sure that I understand it right. Then I kind of understand what's going on, and then I was saying thank you to the public, kind of like I felt sorry for what I did at the first.”

Sabalenka’s press conference took a more serious turn when a journalist pressed the No. 2 seed both to explicitly condemn the war in Ukraine and about her pre-tournament statement regarding sport and politics.

“You say it's politics, even though missiles launched from Belarus does not choose if it's a politician or tennis player,” remarked the journalist, who was also critical about Sabalenka’s comments surrounding whether Ukrainian athletes “hate” her.

“First of all, when I get the question about Ukrainians, they ask me, like, ‘So you know that they hate you?’” Sabalenka explained. “Like, not personally or politically, they are asking the question. So, I'm answering the question that if they hate me, like I don't feel anything like that.

“About the war situation, I said it many, many times: Nobody in this world, Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes, support the war. Nobody. How can we support the war? Nobody, normal people will never support it.

“Why we have to go loud and say that things? This is like one plus one, it's two. Of course, we don't support war. If it could affect anyhow the war, if it could like stop it, we would do it. But unfortunately, it's not in our hands.”

Sabalenka also clarified that, while she was relieved not to have been booed herself, Kostyuk was equally undeserving of the treatment.

“I can imagine if they gonna shake hands with us, and then what's gonna happen to them from Ukrainian side. So, I understand that. And I understand that this is not kind of like personally, you know. That's it.

“I think probably she don't—not probably. I think she don't deserve to be, yeah, to leave the court that way.”

Kostyuk was ultimately unmoved by Sabalenka’s words.

“She never says that she personally doesn't support this war, and I feel like journalists should, because you guys do a lot of work on lightening things and asking people their opinions on certain things, and I feel like you should change the questions that you ask these athletes because the war is already there,” she said. “It's been 15 months since the war has begun.

“I feel like you should ask these players who would they want the war to win because if you ask this question, I'm not so sure these people will say that they want Ukraine to win…She should talk for herself I think, first of all. Then, talk about all the other athletes because I personally know athletes from tennis that support the war. To say nobody is a little bit, I think is a little bit strong because I think you can only speak for yourself.”

Sabalenka will next face a Belarusian, qualifier Iryna Shymanovich, for a spot in the third round.