Lost in the first round at the Australian Open, but attracted attention with his physical appearance » The story behind facial tattoos

The Ukrainian entered the court in Melbourne with facial tattoos that attracted the attention of tennis fans. At the end of the game, she explained the story behind them.

PHOTO. Oleksandra Oliynykova explained the tattoos on her face

Oleksandra Oliynykova had a tough first draw, facing defending champion Madison Keys. The player from Ukraine even managed to take the first set in a tie-break, but lost it to Keys. Oliynykova later dropped the second set 6–1, ending her Australian Open run after just two sets. But, after the match, there was a lot of talk about the unusual appearance of the Ukrainian.

At the press conference following her first-round loss, Oliynykova was asked why she played with facial tattoos and whether they were real.

“They are temporary tattoos. I can remove them with oil after the game. They have no meaning. The idea came to me at the US Open, when I was shopping. I saw the tattoos and started playing with them. It's part of my style and it suited the outfit and the court,” said the cheerful player, who added that she was especially happy for the chance and experience she had at the Australian Open, according to sportnieuws.nl.

Unusual T-shirt at the press conference

During the press conference, Oliynykova did not only attract attention with her unusual facial tattoos. The Ukrainian wore a T-shirt with the following text in English:

“I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children, and I can talk to you about it now.”

The shirt worn by Oleksandra Oliynykova at the press conference / photo: Australian Open YouTube capture

By this, Oliynykova refers to the war in her native country, which continues to claim many victims. Her father is also one of the Ukrainian soldiers serving his country in the war, according to the aforementioned source.