Russia’s Daniil Medvedev mentioned he feels sorry for Ukrainian gamers as tensions over the struggle’s influence on tennis got here to the fore in Indian Wells.
Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko withdrew forward of her scheduled conflict with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka on Monday, revealing later that she had a panic assault after a dialog with WTA chief Steve Simon over its response to the invasion of her nation.
Russian participant Anastasia Potapova, in the meantime, has been warned by the WTA after sporting a Spartak Moscow soccer shirt forward of her conflict with Jessica Pegula earlier this week.
Medvedev, the best profile present Russian participant, mentioned after reaching the semi-finals: “I definitely do feel sorry for all the Ukrainian players and what they go through. For sure, the situation with Tsurenko, I don’t know in detail. It’s more for her and for maybe a little bit Sabalenka to answer.”
Russian and Belarusian gamers have been criticised for not publicly popping out in opposition to the struggle in Ukraine in larger numbers, and Medvedev once more talked solely in obscure phrases concerning the scenario.
“Talking about top players, of course we have a responsibility, and it depends how every person, individual, will do with it and will hold with it,” he mentioned. “I always said the same, I’m for peace all over the world, and that’s all I can say.”
Women’s world No.1 Iga Swiatek has seen up shut the consequences of the battle in her nation, Poland, which borders Ukraine.
She has been outspoken in calling for extra assist for Ukrainian gamers and urged tennis to alter its method after defeating Emma Raducanu within the fourth spherical.
“For sure it’s a tough situation,” she mentioned. “For me, it’s pretty emotional because I feel like these situations are happening, like with people that are wearing a Russian team football T-shirt, because at the beginning we didn’t have proper leadership to guide us through all of that, and there is a lot of tension in the locker room.
“But perhaps it needs to be slightly bit much less if WTA put some motion in the beginning to form of clarify to everyone what is true and what’s not.
“I totally understand why (Tsurenko) withdrew, because I respect Ukrainian girls so much. If a bomb landed in my country or if my home was destroyed, I don’t know if I could handle that, honestly, and play on the WTA and compete.
“I really feel there needs to be performed slightly bit extra to assist Ukrainian gamers, as a result of I really feel like all the things we focus on in tennis is extra about Belarusian and Russian gamers, if they need to be allowed, what is going on on with them.
“It’s unfortunate that some people were born in countries that make the war, but I feel like they should be more responsible sometimes.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
