9:58 p.m. ET, February 28, 2022
Russian tennis stars speak out: "Stop the violence, stop the war"
Russian tennis players are calling for an end to their country's invasion of Ukraine.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a WTA veteran ranked No. 14 in the world and 2021 French Open finalist, said on Twitter she was not afraid to state her position: “Stop the violence, stop the war.”
Daniil Medvedev, who became the world No. 1 in men’s singles on Monday, said he had "mixed emotions" about his feat.
“It’s a huge honor to take over this spot. I’m sure everyone can understand it comes with mixed emotions that it happens this week," he said on Twitter.
Anastasia Potapova, who was scheduled to play Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the opening round of the WTA 250 event in Monterrey, Mexico,
on Tuesday said professional athletes "are essentially becoming hostages of the current situation."
"Playing tennis is our choice and our dream, to which we go daily, practicing, and constantly trying to be better in our results. I’m sorry, but even though I am a stranger to politics, I am against grief, tears and war," she said.
Context: Svitolina said she will not play in the match Tuesday and refuses to play any Russian or Belarusian player, saying she wants tennis organizations to follow the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee to accept Russian or Belarusian nationals only as neutral athletes.
Andrey Rublev, who wrote “No War Please” on a camera at an ATP 500 event in Dubai and later went on to win the tournament, said on Twitter: “Now it’s not about tennis."
Meanwhile, American tennis player Amanda Anisimova, ranked No. 42, whose mother and late father were from Moscow said on Twitter there is “#nohumanity” and "no words for what is happening."