The Russia-Ukraine war continues to create an atmosphere of tension within the wta locker room. There are already many episodes and cases in which tennis players from one country or another have been involved, generating hundreds of news stories and controversies in an ecosystem that, on occasions, only hangs by a thread. The last tournament Indian Wells It became the most recent occasion to add gasoline to a fire of certain dimensions, with cross statements and a case, that of Lesia Tsurenkoin which the anxiety caused by his match against a Belarusian (Aryna Sabalenka) led to a premature withdrawal and accusations towards the CEO of the WTA, Steve Simon.
We don’t just stop there: the Russian Anastasia Potapova He jumped onto the track before his game wearing the jersey of the Moscow Spartakone of the most important teams in their country and, finally, the number one in the world, Every Swiatekstated openly that there is “some tension” inside the WTA locker room, aligning herself with the Ukrainian players, expressing her solidarity and making it clear that she did not agree with Potapova’s gesture either. The Californian tournament ended with the triumph of Elena Rybakina: it might seem that moving to a new venue would relieve some of the burden and allow for a fresh start… but nothing could be further from the truth.
On this occasion, it has been Victoria Azarenka who has spoken loud and clear about the situation that the women’s circuit lives. And she began, first of all, expressing her own reality: according to her, the “tension” to which Swiatek referred does not exist. Not much less. “Personally, I have not seen that tension. It is clear that there are certain players who have different feelings and behaviors. In general, I do not share the same vision as Iga. I would encourage Swiatek to take a look at things that have happened before he makes any comments.”emphasizes the Belarusian, possibly referring to the veto by Wimbledon that prevented players like Vika from participating in the third Grand Slam of the year.
Of course, Azarenka did not stop there, who invited Swiatek herself to have a conversation soon to face their points of view. “As a member of the Player Council, I would be very happy to introduce you and teach you everything that has been done previously. And I think it would be a much more appropriate to have that conversation”pointed out Victoria, who also lamented the fact that “These things have become more interesting issues during press conferences than the sport itself.”
A NECESSARY CHANGE
Another topic of conversation that arose during this press conference revolved around the change of location of the Miami tournament. Azarenka made it clear that he prefers Crandon Parkbut that “understands” and it seems to him a “correct decision” to move to Hard Rock Stadium. “I prefer Key Biscayne, but I understand the needs that have led to the change. I respect that and I think it was the right decision. Personally, I liked the atmosphere better than before, more intimate and with things like crossing the bridge every day, something that I loved But, I reiterate, it’s better for the tournament, and they wanted to make things easier for the fans, who move better on a much bigger stage.”
