Anastasia Potapova given formal warning by WTA over 'not acceptable' Spartak Moscow shirt at Indian Wells
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Published 16/03/2023 at 08:11 GMT
Anastasia Potapova has been warned by the WTA that wearing a Spartak Moscow football shirt ahead of a match at Indian Wells was "not acceptable nor an appropriate action". Russian Potapova said she didn’t see any provocation in it but world No. 1 Iga Swiatek was left "surprised". Russian Daniil Medvedev said he feels "sorry" for Ukrainian players and "what they go through".
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The WTA has issued a formal warning to Anastasia Potapova after she wore a Spartak Moscow football shirt before her match against Jessica Pegula at Indian Wells this week.
Russian Potapova said afterwards she had supported Spartak Moscow since she was 13 and didn’t see any provocation in it.
But world No. 1 Iga Swiatek said she was “surprised” and had talked to the WTA.
Swiatek also called for “better leadership” from women’s tennis' governing body.
The WTA has said in a statement: “Regarding the Russian soccer team shirt, the WTA has formally warned the player that this was not acceptable nor an appropriate action.
"We do not expect to see any reoccurrence of this in the future."
Russian and Belarusian players have been permitted to play on the WTA Tour without their country’s flag since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago.
Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko said she withdrew from her Indian Wells match against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka this week after a panic attack following a discussion with WTA chief executive Steve Simon.
Tsurenko told Big Tennis Ukraine she was “shocked” by Simon’s answers about tennis’ response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The WTA responded with a statement.
Russian Daniil Medvedev was asked about the pressure on Ukrainian players following his quarter-final win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
"First of all, I definitely do feel sorry for all the Ukrainian players and what they go through," he said.
"For sure, the situation with Tsurenko, I don’t know details. It’s more for her and for maybe a little bit [Aryna] Sabalenka to answer because I actually didn’t know about this till the next day.
"Talking about top players, of course, we have a responsibility and it depends how every person, individual, will do with it and will hold with it. I always said the same, I’m for peace all over the world, to be honest, and that’s all I can say."
Swiatek plays Sorana Cirstea in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells after beating Emma Raducanu.
Asked about Potapova following her win over Raducanu, Swiatek said: “"To be honest, I was surprised.
"I thought the player realised that she should not, even if she is a fan of the team, show her views in this way at such times.
“I've talked to the WTA, and in a way, I found out that there should be less such situations because they will explain to other players that you can't promote any Russian teams these days, which reassured me a bit.”
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