Russia’s Anastasia Potapova has been reprimanded by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after she walked out for a match at Indian Wells sporting a Russian soccer jersey.
The World No. 28 walked onto courtroom for her match with Jessica Pegula on Monday sporting a Spartak Moscow shirt.
She misplaced the match 6-3 4-6 5-7 however her seemingly innocuous act of donning the purple shirt has come beneath hearth due to the sign it sends about her native nation Russia.
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Potapova was criticised by Poland’s World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who stated it was insensitive in gentle of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“To be honest, I was surprised,” stated Swiatek, who nonetheless wears a blue and yellow ribbon on her cap in honour of Ukraine in each match she performs.
“I thought she realised she should not, even if she’s a fan of the team, show her views in this way at such times.
“I’ve talked to the WTA and in a way I found out that there should be less such situations because they will explain to other players that you can’t promote any Russian teams these days, which reassured me a bit.
“On the other hand, I think these situations unfortunately happen because this (WTA) announcement should have taken place much earlier.
“There was a lot of chaos in the locker room at the beginning of the war.
“It was not clear how to approach everything, which causes such unpleasant situations. I think if there had been better leadership from the beginning, maybe we would have avoided such situations.”
Earlier within the match, Ukrainian participant Lesia Tsurenko had been as a consequence of tackle Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka however pulled out of Indian Wells, citing private causes.
Tsurenko instructed Ukrainian media she had a “panic attack” and “mental breakdown” after a dialogue with WTA chief Steve Simon, wherein she claims the tour boss stated gamers from Russia and Belarus could be allowed to compete on the Paris Olympics.
“I just had a mental breakdown after all the things I’ve heard,” Tsurenko stated.
“It was a panic attack. I had trouble breathing.”
When requested about Tsurenko, Swiatek stated: “I totally understand why she withdrew, because honestly I respect the Ukrainian girls so much, because if like a bomb landed in my country or if my home was destroyed, I don’t know if I could handle that.
“I feel more should be done to help Ukrainian players because everything we discuss in tennis is about Belarusian and Russian players.”
The WTA responded promptly to Swiatek’s feedback, issuing Potapova a proper warning.
Potapova stated she had supported the staff since she was a toddler and has beforehand been image sporting the shirt on a number of events, together with just lately in Dubai in a photograph she posted to Instagram.
Players from Russia and Belarus have been banned from enjoying at Wimbledon and the flags of the 2 nations are nowhere to be seen on official rating web sites and TV protection
Wimbledon is but to determine if it’ll carry its ban for this 12 months’s match, however Potapova will give organisers meals for considered how gamers can get round flag bans with different shows of patriotism.
Swiatek defeated Emma Raducanu 6-3 6-1 to progress by to the quarterfinals, the place she’s going to face Sorana Cirstea.
Source: www.news.com.au
