The invasion of Ukraine is continuous to have an effect on the tennis world at this 12 months’s Australian Open.
Players from Russia and Belarus are allowed to compete at Melbourne Park, however solely as impartial gamers not below the identify or flag of their nation.
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“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 mentioned in an announcement to WWOS.
“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,” it mentioned.
“The governing our bodies of tennis issued an announcement in March 2022 expressing shock, misery and disappointment, together with a pledge to offer ongoing assist for the folks of Ukraine.
Several high gamers are affected by the flag ban, together with Russia’s Daria Kasatkina and a star Belarusian duo — World No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.
Eagle-eyed viewers observed the small squares on the TV protection normally occupied by the flag of a participant’s nation had been as an alternative empty white areas for Russian and Belarusian gamers.
A clean area additionally seems subsequent to their names on the checklist of match outcomes on Google.
Last 12 months’s runner-up Danielle Collins beat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya in a troublesome three-setter within the first spherical, however watching the sport on TV, you wouldn’t have identified which nation Kalinskaya was from.
There was additionally an empty area subsequent to Azarenka’s identify throughout her match towards Sofia Kenin.
On the boys’s aspect, gun gamers who gained’t have a flag subsequent to their identify embrace Russian contender Daniil Medvedev and his countrymen Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov.
