CNN —Every sport in Europe – from soccer to fencing to UFC – has had to grapple with the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tennis is no exception.
Player tensionFor some Ukrainian players, having to face opponents from Russia and Belarus has been a point of frustration.
2 said she struggled to understand the “hate” she encountered in the locker room amid strained relations with some players following Russia’s invasion.
The “Z” symbol is viewed as a sign of support for Russia, including its invasion of Ukraine.
Last year, she told CNN Sport that Russian and Belarusian players have a responsibility to take a stance against the war.
Persons:
UFC –, Toby Melville, Daria Kasatkina, ”, Marta Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabalenka, won’t, ” Sabalenka, ” Kostyuk, Kai Pfaffenbach, Lesia Tsurenko, Iga Świątek, Daniil Medvedev, “, ” Tsurenko, Poland’s Świątek, Slovakia’s Anna, Karolína, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina –, Świątek, Tim Clayton, Svitolina, Anastasia Potapova, Srdjan Djokovic, Novak Djokovic, Vladimir Putin
Organizations:
CNN, UFC, ATP, WTA, Wimbledon, Reuters, BBC, Belarus, Aryna, –, Kostyuk, Sabalenka, Ukrainian, ”, Russian Government, Miami, de Strasbourg, Spartak Moscow, Melbourne, CNN Sport
Locations:
Europe, Ukraine, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia, Belarus, Kyiv, Reuters Ukrainian, Indian, Vladimirec, Kostyuk, ” Russian, Australian