Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova denounces WTA's response to criticism of Russian, Belarusian tennis players

Oleksandra Oliynykova has singled out specific stars, including Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, for criticism. Marcin Golba / NurPhoto via Getty Images Share articleROME — Oleksandra Oliynykova, the Ukrainian world No. 68, says that she has been “threatened with fines of tens of thousands of dollars” and “disqualification” by the women’s tour over her criticism of specific Russian and Belarusian tennis players, including Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Oliynykova, 25, made those allegations against the WTA Tour in an Instagram post April 28. During a mixed zone interview Thursday at the Italian Open, she said: “I’m the victim of war. I don’t think it’s fair to punish me in any way and to limit my free speech in any way. I think it is horrible, actually. It’s wrong and it’s not about sport’s values and solidarity in sport.” At January’s Australian Open, Oliynykova said in an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe that Belarus’ Sabalenka, 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev who is Russian, and his compatriot, world No. 20 Diana Shnaider, “participate in Russian propaganda” and described them as “dangerous people,” calling for them to be banned from competing at Grand Slams and on the WTA and ATP Tours. She reiterated that stance Thursday. During a news conference at that tournament, Oliynykova said, “Every competition is important, every opportunity to say something about Ukraine. It’s sad, because this war is very long, and I think people are losing attention after so many years.” In an Instagram Story posted Wednesday, she alleged that Polina Kudermetova and Karen Khachanov had publicly used the ribbon of Saint George, a Russian military symbol. She also alleged that she had wanted to make a statement about the issue at tournaments earlier this year, but according to Oliynykova, the WTA “sided with Kudermetova.” “Despite the fact that I violated nothing — because these facts are as obvious as the fact that water is transparent — the WTA arbitrarily interpreted its rules behind closed doors, while ignoring that I myself am living as a victim of aggression,” she wrote on Instagram. In an earlier post, she alleged that the WTA’s response to her comments was “aimed solely at breaking me as a person — through manipulation, intimidation, silence, lies, and devaluation. “In trying to find solutions with those who were never interested in them, I have suffered serious negative consequences due to constant stress. “I stopped enjoying being on the court and at tournaments (with the exception of national team matches). I saw many disturbing things, and it suffocated and exhausted me. My sleep was disrupted (for two months I have been living with chronic sleep deprivation), which led to difficulties with concentration. I did not even have the strength to reply to work messages or to friends, and I felt guilty for being in this state, but what was happening was simply too draining. “That is why I will continue to speak as things are. I will not let them break me, and I will not let them silence me. In the end, I simply cannot accept this level of pressure and censorship — because then I see no point. I do not know how long I will continue to play, but it is important for me to speak my truth within what I do. The war is happening, and there are people who carry it out, support it, finance it, normalize it, promote it — and I have the right to name them.” Kudermetova recently switched nationality to Uzbekistan, while Khachanov still represents Russia. In response to Oliynykova’s allegations, a WTA spokesperson responded via email Thursday. “The WTA recognizes that the ongoing war in Ukraine continues to have a profound and deeply personal impact on many of our athletes. We remain unequivocal in condemning Russia’s war on Ukraine and have consistently supported our Ukrainian players since the start of the conflict. “This is an extraordinarily sensitive situation, and we understand players will have strong personal views. All WTA athletes have the right to express themselves. At the same time, the WTA is committed to maintaining a professional and respectful environment for all athletes, regardless of nationality or country of origin. Our Code of Conduct exists to uphold this standard consistently across the Tour. “We consistently engage with players to ensure interactions on the Tour remain professional and respectful, even in moments of heightened sensitivity. Any concerns about conduct are addressed through our established, confidential processes.” Medvedev, Sabalenka and Shnaider were asked about Oliynykova’s comments in news conferences during the Australian Open. “I want peace, and if I could change anything, I would definitely do that,” Sabalenka said, while Shnaider said that her motivations for playing at a Gazprom-backed exhibition in Saint Petersburg related to visiting her family, and queried whether Oliynykova knew her or Andreeva when asked about the honor from Putin. Shnaider and Andreeva competed at the Olympic Games as AINs. Medvedev said that he respected Oliynykova’s views, but did not want to comment further. Representatives for Kudermetova and Khachanov did not respond to requests for comment, and Oliynykova said in the mixed zone interview Thursday that she had not been spoken to by the WTA about that post. Oliynykova has been describing her experiences during her best year as a professional player. She reached a career-high ranking of world No. 66 in March, and she was speaking Thursday after beating world No. 18 Clara Tauson to reach the third round of the Italian Open, a WTA 1000 event, one rung below the Grand Slams, for the first time. At the Australian Open, she first came to prominence not for her news conferences, but for her distinctive moonballing style, which bamboozled defending champion Madison Keys for a set before the American regrouped to knock Oliynykova out. In the same month as that tournament, Oliynykova’s apartment in Kyiv was shaken by a Russian drone attack, leaving her with no electricity, water or heat. Her father is serving in the country’s army, and in the interview Thursday, she said that “the people I love, they are right now in the war, in the army. I don’t see them for months. “When I’m coming back home, I’m living under attacks. I hear the explosion during the night. I’m waking up because my apartment is shaking because of the explosions which are near my home.” Oliynykova alleges that following the Australian Open, WTA representatives began pressuring her to stop naming players when criticizing them. In an Instagram post published April 28, she wrote that representatives approached her at February’s Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. “The demand was that, despite the absence of any rule about depersonalization in interviews and statements, I should stop mentioning players by name, as my statements could be harmful to them,” she wrote. The 2026 WTA rulebook states that: “Conduct detrimental to the WTA or the WTA Tour or contrary to the integrity of the game of tennis shall include, but not be limited to, public comments, whether or not to the media, which knowingly attack, disparage, or that would reasonably be expected to be harmful or prejudicial to or against any person, group of people, Tournament, sponsor, player, official, the WTA, the WTA Tour, or any of their respective businesses, business reputation, or personal reputation. Responsible expressions of legitimate disagreement with WTA policies that are truthful and made in good faith are not prohibited.” It adds that: “A Player shall not address criticism of a Tournament, sponsor, player, official, the WTA, or the WTA Tour to the media or public. All such complaints should be forwarded to the Supervisor, Player Relations, or WTA Operations.” With so many leading Russian and Ukrainian players, especially on the WTA Tour, tennis is affected by the war more than any sport. On Saturday, the final of the Madrid Open, another WTA 1000 event, saw Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk defeat Russia’s Mirra Andreeva. As has become customary since the war began in February 2022, the players did not shake hands at the end of the match and Kostyuk did not mention Andreeva in her on-court interview. Kostyuk and Oliynykova have both said that their policy on shaking hands extends to players who have defected from Russia to other countries but have not denounced the war publicly. Russian and Belarusian tennis players were banned from competing at Wimbledon in 2022, but have otherwise been free to compete at all events since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, doing so without their country’s flag next to their name. At the 2024 Olympic Games, they had to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN). On the same day as Oliynykova’s interview in Rome, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that it was no longer recommending any restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, freeing them to use their flags if the federations in their respective sports permit. “When we are speaking about Russia and Belarus, we need to understand that these are countries which are turning everything into propaganda,” Oliynykova said when asked for her thoughts on the rule change. Oliynykova faces the Czech No. 13 seed Linda Nosková in the Italian Open third round Friday, and said that she will continue to speak out: “I’m not scared to be disqualified because if I will not speak then anything doesn’t have sense anyway.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms