The storm after the Australian Open. The Ukrainians couldn’t stand it. They propose a drastic solution

Aryna Sabalenka (5th WTA) on Saturday after a holy match won with Jelena Rybakina (25th WTA) 4:6, 6:3, 6:4 and won her first Grand Slam singles title in her career. Both tennis players eliminated Polish players on the way. Rybakina defeated Ig Witek (1st WTA) in the fourth round of the tournament, and Sabalenka defeated Magda Linette (45th WTA) in the semi-finals. A victory at the Australian Open is the reward for the Belarusian, who is showing excellent form in 2023.

The Ukrainians demand the exclusion of Aryna Sabalenka and take away her victory in the AO

The Ukrainian Tennis Federation has called for the suspension of Russian and Belarusian tennis players, including Aryna Sabalenka, due to the celebration of her Grand Slam victory by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. . – Congratulations! Arina, for you! – said Lukashenko, next to whom sat the former president of the Belarusian Tennis Federation, Sergei Teterin.

“We have repeatedly called for a ban on the performance of all Russian and Belarusian athletes in all arenas of the world. It is not even about the athletes themselves, although many of them are active supporters of their totalitarian regimes and eagerly support Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, some even formally serve in the armed forces […] We call for the immediate isolation of Russian and Belarusian athletes within their countries’ borders,” the statement said.

After the match, Sabalenka received the coveted trophy. However, news.com.au reports that journalists have noticed a “key detail”. While Sabalenka’s name was engraved, there was no abbreviation for the name of the country next to them, which the portal decided to call a “brutal affront”. Tennis players from Russia and Belarus compete in ATP and WTA tournaments under a neutral flag after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The aggressors use all the achievements of their athletes to propagate and glorify their own system. The example of Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open, proves the validity of the above thesis. After the broadcast of the semi-final and final of the competition, which appeared on the air of Belarusian national television, this in itself is a violation of international law, President Lukashenko brags about the victory of the Belarusian tennis player and raises a toast. He is not at all worried that she plays under a neutral flag, as required by international tennis organizations. For him and for many others, he represents and glorifies Belarus.” document.

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– I think that everyone still knows that I am a Belarusian player. Will it be a big deal in my country? I think so. I think people will be proud of me.

Winning the Australian Open was Aryna Sabalenka’s twelfth WTA tournament triumph. After the latest update of the ranking, the Belarusian is the vice-leader and only Iga Świątek will be ahead of her. The Polish woman remains the last player to defeat the Belarusian. It happened in December during the World Tennis League.