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Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko withdrew from Indian Wells due to a “panic attack” after arguing with the WTA president

The professional women’s tennis circuit, administered by the WTA, live hectic hours. The Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko (95th in the individual ranking; 33 years old) revealed that he withdrew from the match that was to be played yesterday for the third round of Indian Wells against the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka due to a “panic attack” what he suffered after discuss with the president and WTA CEO Steve Simon.

The tournament that takes place in the Coachella Valley, California, considered by many as a kind of fifth Grand Slam, had announced that Tsurenko’s retirement had been registered for “personal reasons”, but later, the former world number 23 (in 2019) confessed that it occurred because he was “absolutely shocked” for the responses and lightness of the top WTA official in a discussion of professional tennis’s response to Russia’s warlike invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko had strong differences with Steve Simon, president and executive of the WTA ROB PRANGE – Spain DPPI

on the website of Big Tennis Ukraine, the player stated: “A few days ago, I had a conversation with our WTA CEO, Steve Simon, and I was absolutely shocked by what I heard. He told me that he himself does not support the war, but if the players from Russia and Belarus support it, then this is only his own opinion, and the opinion of other people should not bother me. At the same time, she noted that if this happened to him, and he was in my place, he would feel very bad.

WTA CEO and Chairman Steve Simon under scrutiny after a discussion with Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko

And he continued recounting: “In addition, (Simon) expressed his confidence that the Russians and Belarusians will return to the Olympic Games (Paris 2024) and said that it will happen exactly as it is happening now in tennis. He also said that ‘fair play’ and Olympic principles were not violated, quite the contrary. It is the fact that they will perform at the Olympic Games that will prove that these principles work, that everyone is equal and that everyone has the opportunity to perform there. When asked if he understood what he was telling me during the active phase of Russia’s military aggression in my country, he said yes, and this was his opinion.

Tsurenko’s statement

Tsurenko, winner of four WTA singles titles (Istanbul 2015, Guangzhou 2016, Acapulco 2017 and 2018), explained that only the players in the group they formed with other Ukrainians, “with whom we are constantly in contact”, know about the conversation with Simon, including Elina Svitolina. “Everyone is also shocked. We asked to organize a conference call with the WTA Board of Directors to raise the question of how a person like Steve Simon can be a leader in the WTA and what should we do about it”, lamented the Ukrainian tennis player whose father, Viktor, used to work in international relations for a nuclear power plant.

“I just don’t understand how it happened in this world that such things need to be explained. It is very surprising and very painful”, concluded Tsurenko, who developed tennis in kyiv.

Lesia Tsurenko when she won her first WTA title, in Istanbul 2015WTA

Tsurenko’s comments come at a time when Wimbledon organizers appear poised to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian players for the next edition, and the International Olympic Committee could move in the same direction for Paris 2024.

The All England, in a certain way, will give in to the pressure of the circuit, but it will do so under strict conditions for the players from the mentioned countries, including the former number one in the world, the Muscovite Daniil Medvedev, and Sabalenka, the last champion of the Open of Australia. Russian or Belarusian players who perform in the next edition of Wimbledon will be expelled from the tournament if they show “any support for the invasion of Ukraine.”

The change of opinion in the All England authorities comes after the ATP and WTA stripped the ranking points for the 2022 Wimbledon edition, fined the British federation (Lawn Tennis Association) and threatened to revoke his license to perform at pre-London Grand Slam tournaments such as Queen’s and Eastbourne if the ban was not lifted.

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