After Trump’s berating of Zelensky, Ukraine’s tennis players find support on American soil

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Ukraine’s top-ranked tennis player, Marta Kostyuk, faced home favorite Robin Montgomery in her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday.

Judging by the cheers echoing through Stadium 4, the match might as well have been held in Kyiv rather than California. From the first serve to the final point, the crowd was firmly behind Kostyuk, the world No. 24, as she powered past Montgomery with a 6-1, 6-3 victory.

For any Ukrainian athlete, competing in the shadow of their country’s ongoing war with Russia is no small challenge. This past week had been particularly turbulent since Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022.

Just last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky found himself under harsh criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during a meeting in the Oval Office. With cameras rolling, Trump berated Zelensky for what he perceived as a lack of gratitude for American aid, dismissing his attempts to negotiate.

“You don’t have the cards. You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out,” Trump told him before announcing a freeze on U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, abrupt funding cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were already disrupting humanitarian aid efforts. The decision stemmed from Trump’s directive to Elon Musk, an unelected “special government employee,” and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a name inspired by an internet meme—to dismantle the agency.

In the aftermath of that contentious meeting, Kostyuk found her phone inundated with messages from American friends and acquaintances—both within the tennis world and beyond—offering their sympathy and support.

“So many messages, so many apologies—it’s amazing,” she said in her post-match press conference. “It’s incredible to see that people still stand with us.”

Three years into the war, Ukrainian tennis players have ridden an emotional rollercoaster. The conflict is never far from their minds.

On Friday evening at Indian Wells, after stunning three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win, Dayana Yastremska opened her phone to check on her family back home. Scrolling through apps like Telegram, she stayed updated on missile attacks and air raid alerts warning residents in her hometown of Odesa to seek shelter. With her sister, father, and grandparents still there, she follows the updates religiously—first thing in the morning and right after every match.

The news has been especially grim in recent days, as the growing divide between the Trump administration and Zelensky has emboldened Russian forces.

“After what happened today, the attacks on Ukraine have escalated, and my city is no exception,” Yastremska said. “It’s really intense. So many days, we have no electricity or water.”

She had recently returned to Ukraine after competing in a WTA tournament in Linz, Austria, to celebrate her younger sister Ivanna’s 18th birthday. Once a promising tennis player herself, Ivanna has since shifted her focus to journalism while pursuing a singing career.

To reach Odesa, Yastremska had to fly into Chișinău, Moldova’s capital, and then endure a five-hour drive across the border. If travel were easier, she says she would return home in a heartbeat—war or not.

“I love my city,” she said firmly.

Last Friday was particularly exhausting for Yastremska. After arriving in San Francisco from Europe, she was met with a bureaucratic nightmare. Immigration officials informed her that her passport had been flagged by Interpol as stolen, rendering her 10-year U.S. visa invalid. She spent four nerve-wracking hours in limbo, fearing she would be sent back to Europe.

In the end, she was granted a temporary six-month visa—just enough to compete in the U.S. for now. However, she’ll need an extension if she hopes to play in the U.S. Open in August.

“It was a crazy, crazy day. I thought I would explode,” she recalled.

But she didn’t. Instead, just a week later, she was back on the court, defeating a three-time Grand Slam finalist in straight sets. That victory set up a high-stakes match against five-time major champion Iga Świątek on Sunday.

Yastremska, Kostyuk, and fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina—who also secured a win on Friday—have spent the past three years learning to navigate these relentless challenges.

“We’re Ukrainians. We have this resilience, this ability to endure difficult situations,” Yastremska said. If nothing else, they’ve learned to manage adversity and, sometimes, even find hope amid chaos.

Kostyuk admitted she was devastated by how poorly the Trump-Zelensky meeting had gone. But over time, she has found solace in the fact that so many Americans, both in the past and present, continue to support Ukraine.

“It’s important to remember that Ukraine’s allies weren’t just one person making a decision to help. It was a collective effort from so many people,” she said. “And for that, I’m truly grateful.”

There’s a phrase that Kostyuk holds onto, both in life and on the court:

“Everything will be fine, and if it’s not fine, that just means it’s not the end.”

She also understands that in tennis, like in life, everyone has their own battles to fight.

“Everyone is dealing with something,” she said. “Whether it’s war, a sick family member, or personal struggles. The key is learning to set it aside and focus on the task at hand.”

With that, Kostyuk turned her attention to her next challenge—a Sunday showdown with another American, Caroline Dolehide.

Chances are, she’ll have plenty of support once again.