Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko touched the Ukrainian flag on her shirt as she shook palms with Iga Swiatek on the internet following their Rome assembly. Poland’s Swiatek has been very outspoken in her help for Ukraine ever since Russia invaded the nation in 2022 February.
Final 12 months, Swiatek organized a charity occasion in Poland, with all of the proceeds going to the Ukraine reduction fund. In latest months, Ukrainian gamers have not been shaking palms with Russian/Belarusian gamers as a result of they really feel most of them help their respective governments.
After struggling a 6-2 6-0 loss to Swiatek within the Rome third spherical, Tsurenko needed to indicate everybody how she as a Ukrainian feels about Swiatek.
Tsurenko touches the Ukrainian flag on her shirt as she shakes palms with Swiatek.
Heat and appreciation in her phrases and actions on the internet in direction of somebody who has been steadfast in her help of Ukraine and Ukrainian gamers.
pic.twitter.com/1K8UiL508E — The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) May 14, 2023
Tsurenko’s act exhibits the respect she has for Swiatek
In an interview for the BBC in April, Swiatek urged tennis may have despatched a robust message by banning Russian and Belarusian gamers when the invasion first began.
“I heard that after World Warfare Two, German gamers weren’t allowed in addition to Japanese and Italian, and I really feel like this type of factor would present the Russian authorities that perhaps it is not price it. I do know it is a small factor as a result of we’re simply athletes, a little bit piece on the planet however I really feel like sport is fairly vital and sport has at all times been utilized in propaganda.
That is one thing that was thought-about in the beginning, tennis did not actually go that method, however now it could be fairly unfair for Russian and Belarusian gamers to try this as a result of this resolution was speculated to be made a 12 months in the past,” Swiatek advised the BBC in April.
Additionally, Swiatek felt tennis as a sport may have accomplished extra to indicate that it’s in opposition to wars and violence. “I really feel like tennis, from the start, may do a bit higher in exhibiting all people that tennis gamers are in opposition to the conflict.
I really feel they may do extra to make that time and inform their views, and assist us cope a bit higher within the locker room as a result of the environment there may be fairly tense,” Swiatek mentioned.
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