Russian, Belarusian Tennis Players Allowed To Participate In U.S. Open

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Russian and Belarusian tennis players will be allowed to compete in the U.S. Open, the U.S. Tennis Association said Tuesday, telling the Associated Press it did not want to hold “individual athletes accountable” for their governments actions, two months after Wimbledon banned players from those countries.

Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev plays during the 2021 U.S. Open.

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Key Facts

In a statement, the USTA, which owns and runs the U.S. Open, said “each organization” has had to grapple with “unique circumstances that affect their decisions,” adding the USTA would “allow all eligible players, regardless of nationality,” to compete in the 2022 tournament.

In an interview with AP, USTA CEO and Executive Director Lew Sherr told the outlet its board decided to let the Russian and Belarusian athletes play because of “concern” about forcing them to take responsibility for “the actions and decisions of their governments.”

Athletes from Russia and Belarus will play in the August 29 tournament under a neutral flag, Kerr said, as they did during the French Open.

Key Background

The move comes two months after Wimbledon became the first of four tennis grand slam events to block Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision prevented two of the world’s best tennis players—Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka—from competing. All England Lawn Tennis Club, the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, said at the time it would be unacceptable for the “Russian regime to derive any benefits” from Russian and Belarusian players’ involvement in the tournament. The French Open did not follow suit, allowing the athletes to compete, but not under their national flag. Since the war in Ukraine began, Russian athletes have been banned from a host of sporting events, including the soccer World Cup’s qualifying playoffs.

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