By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, April 5, 2023
The WTA response to points Ukrainians face is “useless” says Elina Svitolina.
Wimbledon introduced it would raise its ban on Russian and Belarusian gamers, letting them play the 2023 Championships. Wimbledon banned Russians and Belarusians in 2022 in condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
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“The WTA should have done more, much more, on many issues,” Svitolina instructed L’Equipe in a brand new interview. “Now it’s too late.
“There have been plenty of press releases, plenty of interviews. It was ineffective.”
The 28-year-old Svitolina made her comeback in Charleston this week bowing to Moscow-born, Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 in two hours, 47 minutes.
Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine final yr, Odessa-born Svitolina introduced she wouldn’t play towards Russians or Belarusians and referred to as on the WTA, ATP and ITF to comply with the IOC and take motion on Russian and Belarusian athletes.
“I believe the current situation requires a clear position from our organizations: ATP, WTA and ITF,” Svitolina wrote on Instagram. “As such we-Ukrainian players-requested to ATP, WTA and ITF to follow the recommendations of the IOC to accept Russian or Belarusian nationals only as neutral athletes, without displaying any national symbols, colors, flags or anthems.”
Svitolina confirmed assist for Ukrainian compatriot Lesia Tsurenko, who withdrew from final month’s Indian Wells previous to her scheduled match vs. Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. Tsurenko stated on social media she suffered a panic assault after speaking to WTA CEO Steve Simon.
“A few days ago, I had a conversation with our WTA CEO, Steve Simon, and I was absolutely shocked by what I heard,” Tsurenko posted on Twitter. “He told me that he himself does not support the war, but if the players from Russia and Belarus support it, then this is only their own opinion and the opinion of other people should not upset me.”
Lesia Tsurenko instructed us she felt mentally dangerous for a number of days and had a psychological breakdown “after all the things I’ve heard. It was a panic attack, I had trouble breathing. A few days ago I had a conversation with Steve Simon, I was absolutely shocked by what I heard from him” 👇 pic.twitter.com/hZZJcNtWOA
— Ukrainian Tennis • BTU (@ukrtennis_eng) March 13, 2023
Tsurenko’s anguish is a reminder of the every day ache Ukrainian gamers endure as their nation stays underneath brutal assault from Russian forces.
“What is happening to Lesia [Tsurenko] is very sad,” Svitolina instructed L’Equipe. People who have not skilled it could’t actually perceive what it feels prefer to haven’t any residence, to really feel secure nowhere, to have household in Ukraine, underneath the bombs, to know that Ukrainian cities are being destroyed.
“It’s both fear and a great emptiness.”
Photo credit score: Mark Peterson/Corleve
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