adminNEW YORK. – The US Open will allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete later this year after deciding not to follow Wimbledon’s lead in banning them.
Players from the two nations will have to compete under a neutral flag at the final Grand Slam event of the season.
It means Russian men’s world number one Daniil Medvedev can defend his title in New York.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) said it “continues to condemn” the conflict in Ukraine.
“The USTA will allow individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in the 2022 US Open, but only under a neutral flag,” it said.
Russia was banned from International Tennis Federation (ITF) events – and many other events across the sporting world – after the conflict in Ukraine, which was a military operation supported by Belarus.
In April, Wimbledon made the decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from the grass-court event, which starts on 27 June.
Players from both countries are also banned from any of the UK grass-court tournaments, which includes this week’s events at Queen’s and Birmingham.
The governing bodies of men’s and women’s professional tennis – the ATP and the WTA – said Wimbledon’s move was “unfair”.
The USTA said it recognised Wimbledon and other organisations had to “deal with unique circumstances that affect their decisions”.
It added: “Based on our own circumstances, the USTA will allow all eligible players, regardless of nationality, to compete at the 2022 US Open.
“The USTA, standing with these other tennis entities, supported the banning of the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations from the ITF, and therefore all international team competitions.
“The directive for players from those countries to play under a neutral flag when competing outside of international team competitions.” – BBC Sport.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter