Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday said that she hoped she would be able to play tennis under the Belarusian flag after the International Olympic Committee lifted its ban on the country’s athletes competing in the Olympics.
World No. 1 Sabalenka has had to compete under a neutral banner as a consequence of her country’s support for Russia following its ally’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The IOC earlier on Thursday lifted its ban on Belarusian athletes competing in the Olympics, although restrictions on Russian athletes remain in place.
Photo: AP
Asked whether the women’s tour would drop the ban on her representing her country, Sabalenka said: “I really hope they’re going to give us our flag back.”
“I just know how much of an inspiration I am for young kids, I know that, and they send me messages, and I just want them to feel confident about no matter where you come from you can make it all the way to the top,” Sabalenka said at the Italian Open in Rome.
“For me representing such a small country, and the hard work that I had to do to get to the top, it’s just like, guys, it’s incredible, it’s a small country, and to make it all the way here, it means a lot to me,” she said. “I would be super proud to represent Belarus.”
Sabalenka was speaking to reporters after sweeping aside Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-3 at the Foro Italico, where she is aiming to win for the first time.
The 28-year-old is favorite to win in the Italian capital ahead of the French Open, which is to start later this month.
The top seed is on the same side of the draw as Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in last year’s French Open final and made short work of Tereza Valentova in her opening match in Rome.
American star Gauff beat Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour, 34 minutes in front of a sparsely populated center court. She faces Argentine Solana Sierra in the next round.
Earlier Jasmine Paolini launched her title defense by battling back from a set down to beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4.
Another Italian, Lorenzo Sonego, was dumped out, with the 30-year-old seen off in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 by Peru’s Ignacio Buse on center court.
At the Jiangxi Open in China yesterday, Taiwan’s Liang En-shuo defeated Hayu Kinoshita of Japan 6-3 6-3 in the women’s singles to reach the semi-finals at the WTA 125K Series tournament.
Liang faces China’s Bai Zhuoxuan today.
In the doubles, Lee Ya-hsin of Taiwan and partner Ye Qiuyu of China are to play Australian duo Gabriella Da Silva-Fick and Tenika McGiffin in the semi-finals today.
Lee and Ye ousted Taiwan’s Li Yu-yun and Li Zongyu of China in the quarter-finals yesterday, winning 6-4, 7-5.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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