For the second time this year, Dayana Yastremska and Mirra Andreeva will square off on a tennis court, but a feeling of animosity encapsulates their latest encounter.
It's not often that a first-round match in a WTA 250 is set to generate immense attention than Monday's clash in Hong Kong Open when two players, who probably won't want to see eye-to-eye with each other will be arriving on the scene for one cause only - to win.
There won't be a customary post-match handshake. There won't be a pre-match photoshoot of the players standing side by side. Nor will there be any acknowledgment of great sportsmanship.
That's how the script will unfold as the hostilities between the two players' nations intensify. Just over two months ago, Andreeva defeated the Ukranian fair and square in a first-round match in Lausanne.
After the match, Yastremska accused the 16-year-old of malevolence, for liking pro-Putin posts on social media in the midst of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Yastremska lodged a request to the WTA, the governing body of women's tennis. The WTA refused to intervene on the issue, which drew the ire of Yastremska. The 23-year-old was left 'upset' in a post she shared on Instagram, but committed to 'fight' for her country.
It was slightly peculiar but not surprising, given how vocal Yastremska has been of the current mire in her country. She's bashed Russian players regularly on social media, calling for all sorts of punishments and sanctions.
Yastremska came under heavy criticism from fans who questioned the source of her accusations. At the same time, another section slammed her for cyber-stalking.
Tennis fanatics have been advocating for an end to politicizing the sport, something even the players have been championing while on media duties. For Yastremska, Monday isn't just about winning another tennis match, but also about claiming bragging rights.
For Ukrainian athletes, winning in sports is akin to contributing to the ongoing battle, and more so when the opponent is a Russian or Belarusian.
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