‘You do know that, right?’: Awkward Wimbledon moment

One such trade occurred on day one of many match, as two-time grand slam champion Victoria Azarenka fronted as much as the media after her 6-4 5-7 6-4 victory over China’s Yuan Yue within the first spherical.

Azarenka is from Belarus, a former Soviet republic that declared independence within the early Nineteen Nineties. It borders Russia, and its authorities, run by President Alexander Lukashenko, is one in every of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most steadfast allies.

That diplomatic partnership has endured regardless of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of final yr, which was condemned by many of the worldwide neighborhood.

The Lukashenko authorities’s pro-Russian stance led to its tennis gamers becoming a member of Russia’s in being banned from Wimbledon final yr. That controversial choice led to the ATP and WTA, which run the female and male iterations of tennis, to strip the match of rating factors.

This yr, Russian and Belarusian gamers are allowed to compete, however on the situation that they achieve this as neutrals. Each participant has signed a declaration that they won’t specific assist for both nation’s authorities.

Speaking after her win, Azarenka was requested how the gang had handled her, and whether or not she’d been apprehensive concerning the reception she’d get at Wimbledon.

“Honestly, it was really nice. People are very nice,” she stated.

“I feel like there is an online part of it, and there is the aura, and for me personally, I experienced very good treatment.

“There are of course some incidents sometimes, but I felt like I was very welcomed. I have been very supported everywhere. And I really appreciate that.

“Today, to hear people say, ‘Let’s go Vika,” and cheering me on, was additionally why I play, to play in entrance of the gang, to placed on a very good present. So that felt nice.”

Azarenka stated she felt it was “very easy” for trolls to “hide behind a screen” relatively than communicate to somebody face-to-face.

“I’m the sort of person who only goes straight to the person if I have a problem with somebody, if I have an issue I want to address,” she stated.

“A lot of people don’t do that, unfortunately. I think it would be an easier way to manage the disagreements or agreements.”

Next got here the awkward second, as Azarenka suspected a reporter of getting her nationality incorrect.

“What does Wimbledon mean to Russia? Is it big over there? Just in terms of the part it plays in culture,” the reporter requested.

“You do know I’m not from Russia, right?” Azarenka shot again.

“Yeah. Just in terms of being on tour, at all, is that something that you have become aware of at all, if it’s significant?” stated the journalist.

“You will have to spell it out a bit more directly to me. I’m not understanding the question,” stated Azarenka.

“Just in terms of internationally, how you see Wimbledon’s culture and how big a tournament you see it as, internationally? You have obviously played in Russia in the past. How significant do you feel the tournament is?” stated the reporter.

“OK, so let me just clarify. You’re asking me how big do I feel that Wimbledon is on the international stage? Or what it means to me?” she pressed.

“I actually meant on the international stage and just being on tour. It’s just a question we were asking around its impact in Russia. This is the first time that Russian players are allowed here, this year,” stated the reporter.

“OK. I will answer the part about the international view of Wimbledon, (though) I don’t know if I’m an expert to give you a proper opinion,” stated Azarenka.

“It’s a poor question, sorry,” stated the reporter.

“Yes, it is, but I’ll still answer it,” Azarenka quipped.

“I think on the international stage, Wimbledon is undoubtedly one of the biggest tennis events, and it’s always been. So it’s iconic. It is iconic.

“How it is in Russia? I’m not from Russia. I can’t really tell you how it feels in Russia.”