By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, March 16, 2023
A prime tiff is the newest signal of rising rigidity on the WTA Tour.
Russian participant Anastasia Potapova was “formally warned” by the WTA after repeatedly sporting a Moscow Spartak soccer group jersey on social media.
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The Russian flag, symbols and branding are banned on the professional tour in condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine. On the Australian Open in January, a small group of followers waving Russian flags and professional battle symbols have been booted from the Melbourne main.
“Concerning the Russian soccer group shirt, the WTA has formally warned the participant that this was not acceptable nor an applicable motion,” WTA spokesperson Amy Binder instructed CNN. “We don’t anticipate to see any reoccurrence of this sooner or later.”
Potapova posted this picture of her sporting the Moscow Spartak soccer jersey whereas on court docket on the Dubai Obligation Free Tennis Championships. Potapova stated she’s been a fan of the membership since age 13 and doesn’t imply offense sporting the shirt.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek stated Potapova’s public assist sends the flawed message at a time when Ukrainians have been struggling demise and destruction from the assault for greater than a yr.
“To be trustworthy, I used to be shocked,” instructed the media when requested about Potapova sporting the jersey. “I although the participant realized that she shouldn’t, even when she is a fan of the group, present her views on this approach at such occasions.”
The WTA’s assertion on Potapova comes two days after Swiatek known as out each the Tour and gamers themselves to do extra to assist Ukrainian gamers.
Swiatek’s robust stand got here after she was requested her response to the Lesia Tsurenko case.
Ukrainian Tsurenko withdrew from Indian Wells previous to her scheduled match vs. Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka saying she suffered a panic assault after listening to WTA Chief Steve Simon’s statements on Russian gamers.
“There’s quite a lot of rigidity within the locker room that – properly, clearly it should be there, as a result of there’s a battle,” Swiatek stated. “However perhaps it needs to be slightly bit much less if WTA put some motion firstly to type of clarify to everyone what is correct and what’s not.
“I completely perceive why she withdrew, as a result of actually, like, I respect Ukrainian ladies like a lot, as a result of if like a bomb landed in my nation or if my house was destroyed, I do not know if I might deal with that, actually, and play on WTA and compete.”
Tsurenko was quoted by Ukrainian media as saying she was “completely shocked” by feedback from WTA CEO Simon.
“He instructed me that he himself doesn’t assist the battle, but when the gamers from Russia and Belarus assist it, then that is solely their very own opinion, and the opinion of different folks shouldn’t upset me,” Tsurenko was quoted as saying. “On the similar time, he famous that if this occurred to him and he was in my place, he would really feel horrible.”
Requested his response to the continued challenge, Russian Daniil Medvedev instructed the media in Indian Wells: “I positively do really feel sorry for all of the Ukrainian gamers.”
The 2021 US Open champion stated he does consider gamers have a accountability to make use of their platforms to take a stand on the battle. Medvedev known as for peace.
“Speaking about prime gamers, after all we’ve got a accountability, and it relies upon how each particular person, particular person, will do with it and can maintain with it,” Medvedev stated. “I all the time stated the identical, I am for peace everywhere in the world, to be trustworthy, and that is all.”
Three-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, who raised practically one-half million {dollars} for Ukraine with an offseason exhibition occasion, stated execs have a accountability to talk out.
“We should always extra give attention to serving to Ukrainian gamers and offering them every thing that they want, as a result of they principally should care for like all their households, and there is quite a lot of baggage on their shoulders,” Swiatek stated, including: “I will attempt to type of assist with that as properly, as a result of I assume with every thing that’s taking place, the actions that have been taken up up to now have been, I do not suppose they have been sufficient.
“I feel all of us have the accountability to type of present the precise instance and proper issues. You understand, I haven’t got affect on some folks’s values, however I feel we’re those that ought to set a very good instance. There’s a accountability on every of us.”
Photograph credit score: Anastasia Potapova Instagram
