The flag was noticed being held aloft as Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl took on Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova on Court 14 at Melbourne Park on Monday.
It sparked outrage on social media after Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, demanded Tennis Australia take motion.
“I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today,” Myroshnychenko wrote.
“I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its ‘neutral flag’ policy.”
Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments together with Every Finals Match. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Other tennis followers known as the spectator’s act “disgusting”, whereas one wrote: “shame on Tennis Australia for allowing this”.
Former Australian ambassador to Ukraine Doug Trappett additionally known as the incident “embarrassing” to Tennis Australia.
“You could have banned Russian players and positioned yourself to give a robust response to such predictable incidents but you chose spinelessness,” Trappett wrote.
“How painful for Ukrainians – incl. after atrocities by Russia in Dnipro yest.”
Tennis Australia has now revealed it would implement a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian flags in Melbourne Park, after initially permitting them onsite so long as they didn’t trigger disruption.
“Flags from Russia and Belarus are banned onsite at the Australian Open,” Tennis Australia stated in a press release to news.com.au.
“Our initial policy was that fans could bring them in but could not use them to cause disruption.
“Yesterday we had an incident where a flag was placed courtside.
“The ban is effective immediately.
“We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis.”
The crowd ban is along with a ban on tennis gamers from Russia and Belarus enjoying beneath the flags of their nations on the Aussie grand slam.
“Players from Russia and Belarus are only able to compete in international tennis events as individuals – and without flags or country recognition – which will be the case for Australian Open 2023,” Tennis Australia stated.
“Tennis Australia stands united with the international governing bodies of tennis – the grand slams, the ATP and WTA Tours and the ITF – in its condemnation of Russia’s actions and its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
Mr Myroshnychenko had beforehand known as for Tennis Australia to ban Russian gamers from competing down beneath.
Wimbledon banned gamers from Russia and Belarus final yr and in response, ATP and WTA penalised the Grand Slam match by stripping its rating factors.
It meant gamers who excelled on the occasion final yr weren’t given a rating increase.
