Elina Svitolina: Ukrainian to play Russian opponent Anastasia Potapova after stance over flag

Elina SvitolinaGetty Images

World number 15 Elina Svitolina is the top seed at the Monterrey Open

Elina Svitolina's match against Russia's Anastasia Potapova at the Monterrey Open on Tuesday will go ahead after the Ukrainian top seed was given assurances her opponent will compete under a neutral flag.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Svitolina said she would refuse to play Russian or Belarusian players until they are classed as "neutral athletes".

The WTA and the ATP announced on Tuesday that while players from Russia and Belarus could continue to compete, they must do so as neutral athletes.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has suspended the Russian Tennis Federation and Belarus Tennis Federation from international team competition, after the cancellation of all ITF tournaments in Russia and Belarus.

The WTA and ATP boards have also suspended their combined event due to take place in Moscow in October.

Before the WTA statement, world number 15 Svitolina, 27, told ITV News: "I will be playing tonight because my opponent is going to be under a neutral flag."

Svitolina will wear Ukrainian colours for the match in Mexico, and she said she feels like "I have my country on my shoulders".

She added: "In the tennis community, more should have been done. Today is already six days that serious and horrible things are happening in Ukraine.

"That's why I decided to make a move because I didn't feel enough support from our tennis community. As Ukrainians, we couldn't sit silent anymore in feeling so much pain.

"For sure it's not going to be [just] another WTA match."

Potapova, 20, also responded to the situation on Instagram on Monday, saying: "Unfortunately, now we, professional athletes, are becoming hostages of the current situation.

"I'm sorry, but even though I am a stranger to politics, I am against grief, tears and war."

'I'll remember this match' - Yastremska wins after fleeing war

Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska won her opening match at the Lyon Open just four days after fleeing the war in her homeland.

The 21-year-old and her 15-year-old sister, Ivanna, spent two nights sheltering in an underground car park before being sent to France by their parents, who remain in Ukraine.

The sisters lost a doubles match on Monday but world number 128 Dayana came back to defeat Romanian Ana Bogdan 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (9-7) on Tuesday.

Yastremska, who saved match points in the second and third sets of the three-hour contest, wrapped herself in the Ukrainian flag after the win.

"I just came from the country where the war is and there is my family. It was very tough emotionally. I wish I could be now at home there in my country but my father made a decision to bring me here," Yastremska said.

"I'm happy that I won for my country but at the same time I'm very sad. I want to say thanks for the support," she added.

"This win compared to what is going on in my country is nothing but I'm happy at least I'm also fighting. I'm very proud of the Ukrainians. They're really heroes and I wish everything is going to finish soon."

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