Russia’s Daniil Medvedev said he feels sorry for Ukrainian players as tensions over the war’s impact on tennis came to the fore in Indian Wells.
Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko withdrew ahead of her scheduled clash with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka on Monday, revealing later that she had a panic attack after a conversation with WTA chief Steve Simon over its response to the invasion of her country.
Russian player Anastasia Potapova, meanwhile, has been warned by the WTA after wearing a Spartak Moscow football shirt ahead of her clash with Jessica Pegula earlier this week.
Medvedev, the highest profile current Russian player, said after reaching the semi-finals: “I definitely do feel sorry for all the Ukrainian players and what they go through. For sure, the situation with Tsurenko, I don’t know in detail. It’s more for her and for maybe a little bit Sabalenka to answer.”
Russian and Belarusian players have been criticised for not publicly coming out against the war in Ukraine in greater numbers, and Medvedev again talked only in vague terms about the situation. This Indian Wells is a great opportunity for online betting.
“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,” he said. “I always said the same, I’m for peace all over the world, and that’s all I can say.”