The Russia-Ukraine war shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Tennis has not been exempted from feeling the effects of the invasion either. The governing bodies did take drastic actions in retaliation for the war last year. However, the WTA and ATP have come under pressure once again for breaking their own rules this time.
It is reported that Gazprom, which privately owns many battalions, is organizing an exhibition tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia. So far, 14 players from the ATP and WTA have confirmed their participation, despite tournaments being banned in Russia and Belarus in the wake of the war. This news has caused a stir since Gazprom is backing Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
An account on the social media site X (previously Twitter) unearthed all the information pertaining to this tournament. They then shared their findings on the site.
13 top tennis players, incl athletes from Europe 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇪🇸 will play in Russia – at the exho tournament of Gazprom, which reportedly finances mercenary companies for war against Ukraine
Do ATP & WTA give their players permission to take part in this event as it was in 2022? 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/BAHUK7BBSD
— Ukrainian Tennis • BTU (@ukrtennis_eng) November 27, 2023
A number of well-known stars will be playing at this tournament, including Karen Khachanov and Veronika Kudermetova. It will be played over three days, with two teams—the Lions and the Sphinxes—set to compete against each other.
The tournament will begin on December 1st. In addition to a captain, there will be six players from the WTA and ATP on each side. Khachanov will be leading the Lions, and Kudermetova will spearhead the Sphinxes.
Fans, however, were quick to call out the governing bodies for their inaction. One user did not hold back, as they called the players “Nasty traitors and hypocrites.”
Those are the nasty traitors and hypocrites . ATP&WTA, where is your reaction?
— Олексій (@Oleksj08836437) November 27, 2023
Anastasia Potapova, Alexander Shevchenko, and Laslo Djere are some of the other well-known names. So far, the governing bodies have not commented on this issue.
How did the ATP and WTA react to the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, its fallout was felt by all. Tennis was no exception, and it had to grapple with its own issues in the aftermath of the war.
Many wanted to ban Russian and Belarussian players from participating. However, the WTA and ATP resisted such calls. Instead, the players were told they could play as “neutrals,” with neither flag nor anthem.
Wimbledon announced new restrictions for Russia and Belarus regarding upcoming games despite players being allowed to participate as “neutrals”.
Russian and Belarusian flags, as well as any “signs or symbols of support for either Russia or Belarus” are banned.
The event won’t be… pic.twitter.com/XBkpJuZk8X— In Context (@incontextmedia) April 25, 2023
While most other tournaments let players participate, Wimbledon outright banned them. The governing bodies came down hard, as they stripped the Slam of its ranking points. Wimbledon eventually rolled back the decision in 2023.
The hostilities have spilled over onto the court as well. Elina Svitolina caused a stir when she refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka after their encounters this year. The war has had far-reaching effects, and tennis has also felt the heat.