WATCH: Marta Kostyuk's mother shares heartbreaking scenes of junior tennis players struggling for bare minimum amid war with Russia

Marta Kostyuk's mother Talina Beiko recently shared a heartbreaking video featuring junior Ukrainian tennis players training in almost complete darkness in the country's capital Kyiv, where the energy infrastructure has been hit hard by relentless Russian attacks. Beiko, a former tennis player, also served as one of Kostyuk's first coaches.

On Monday, December 15, a Ukrainian tennis-centric handle on X (formerly Twitter) posted the video originally shared by Beiko. In it, several junior tennis players could be seen training on a practice court. Shockingly, there was next to no light at the site, with only one small source of it placed on one end of the court, ensuring the bare minimum in terms of visibility. This stemmed from constant Russian bombardments that have crippled Kyiv's energy infrastructure.

Watch the concerning video below:

Marta Kostyuk, the 23-year-old Ukrainian WTA star who reached a career-high ranking of World No. 16 in June 2024, has repeatedly called out Russia over the attacks it has carried out in its neighboring nation's territory, particularly since the beginning of the 2022 invasion and subsequent war.

Kostyuk has also made it clear that she won't consider shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian players on the WTA Tour. Earlier this year, the now-World No. 26 reiterated her position on the subject via a series of social media posts.

"Painful, unjust and deeply real" - Marta Kostyuk slammed Russian attacks on Ukrainian soil; called out players over 'silence'

Marta Kostyuk during a press conference at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart (Source: Getty)

Via multiple Instagram Stories in May 2025, Marta Kostyuk condemned Russia's ongoing offensive against Ukraine. She also called out tennis players, without naming anyone specifically, for not speaking up against the invasion and subsequent war.

"There are times when silence means pretending nothing is happening. The war in Ukraine is not just ongoing - it's painful, unjust and deeply real. It shapes, lives, futures, and everyday choices in ways many will never have to imagine...as an athlete I believe in fair play and respect - but those principles mean little if they don't extend beyond the court," Kostyuk wrote in one of her Instagram Stories.

On the tennis front, Kostyuk's 2025 season finished on a rather low note, as the Ukrainian was ousted from the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open in the very first round by Karolina Muchova. Kostyuk was also at the center of a controversy due to certain bizarre comments she made about reigning WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and other elite women's tennis players.

Edited by Sudipto Pati