Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has withdrawn from the Monterey Open. She was scheduled to play against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova in the first round on Tuesday. Svitolina, ranked 15th in the world, has accepted Russian or Belarusian nationals from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as the only athletes without any national emblem, flag or anthem. to follow the recommendations of the IOC.
The Ukrainian player said she would not play in Monterrey or play any other matches against Russian or Belarusian tennis players. “I don’t blame any Russian athlete. They are not responsible for attacking our land. In addition, I would like to thank all the players, especially Russians and Belarusians, who bravely raised their voices against the war. Their support is essential.