US Open 2022: Belarusian Victoria Azarenka dropped from Ukraine exhibition event

Bengaluru, August 25: Former WTA world No.1 Victoria Azarenka was dropped from a pre-US Open 2022 exhibition tennis event for raising money for humanitarian assistance in Ukraine.

The 33-year-old is from Belarus, which helped Russia launch its invasion of Ukraine in February.

There were no other Belarusian or Russian players in attendance for the event held at the Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday (August 24), which was incidentally, the Ukrainian Independence Day.

It is presumed that a number of Ukraine players objected to the presence of two-time major winner's presence at the US Open exhibition event aimed at raising money for war-torn Ukraine.

Marta complains

As per agency reports, Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk questioned having a Belarusian player participate in the US Tennis Association's (USTA) Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition event held at Flushing Meadows.

"I don't understand how human it really is," Kosttyuk said in an interview with Ukrainian publication BTU. "Why does she do it and why does she go for it. Purely human, because she knows from our words how we can't tolerate them here, how we want them not to be at any tournament, like in England. Despite this, she goes for it. She doesn't even communicate with us, but here she just takes and does. I can't understand why?"

USTA statement

The USTA issued a statement saying, "In the last 24 hours, after careful consideration and dialogue with all parties involved, Victoria Azarenka will not be participating.

"Vika is a strong player leader and we appreciate her willingness to participate. Given the sensitivities to Ukrainian players, and the ongoing conflict, we believe this is the right course of action for us."

Top draw

The USTA announced in June that it would allow those athletes to compete in the US Open. Azarenka had won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, and was the runner-up at the US Open in 2012, 2013 and 2020.

Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcarez, Iga Swiatek and Leylah Fernandez were among the other players who participated in the event, with 100 per cent of proceeds from sales of $25 and $50 tickets going to an international nonprofit organisation. It is part of the USTA's effort to raise at least $2 million to benefit Ukraine by the end of the US Open.

Player unity

Azarenka has been vocal in her desire for player unity which saw Russian and Belarusian athletes playing without their respective flags, and the All England Club's decision to ban those athletes from competing ay this year's Wimbledon.

"I think what people missed here was a big opportunity to show how sports can unite," Azarenka had said of the Wimbledon ban. I think we missed that opportunity, but I hope we can still show it."

But there is no ban on players from Russia and Belarus from competing at the US Open 2022, the last Grand Slam of the year, which will be held in New York from August 29 to September 11.