The Ukrainian participant Lesia Tsurenko has mentioned she withdrew from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after having a panic assault following a dialogue with the WTA leader govt, Steve Simon.
Tsurenko used to be because of face the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka within the 3rd spherical on Sunday however passed the Australian Open champion a walkover.
The withdrawal used to be attributed to non-public causes however Tsurenko has now printed it got here as a result of she used to be “absolutely shocked” through Simon’s solutions of their dialogue about tennis’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to the Big Tennis Ukraine site, the 33-year-old mentioned: “A couple of days in the past, I had a dialog with our WTA CEO Steve Simon, and I used to be completely surprised through what I heard. He instructed me that he himself does no longer fortify the warfare, but when the gamers from Russia and Belarus fortify it, then that is best their very own opinion, and the opinion of other folks will have to no longer disenchanted me.
“At the same time, he noted that if this had happened to him and he had been in my place, he would have felt terrible.”
Tsurenko’s feedback come as Wimbledon organizers seem set to boost their ban on Russian and Belarusian gamers, with the International Olympic Committee doubtlessly heading in the similar route.
Simon relayed that knowledge to Tsurenko, who mentioned: “He expressed self assurance that the Russians and Belarusians will go back to the Olympics and mentioned that it’ll occur precisely because it is going on now in tennis.
“He additionally mentioned that honest play and Olympic rules weren’t violated, however to the contrary. When requested if he understood what he used to be announcing to me all over the lively section of Russia’s army aggression in my nation he mentioned sure, and this used to be his opinion.
“I used to be utterly surprised through this dialog, and already within the closing fit [against Donna Vekic] it used to be extremely tricky to play. When it used to be time to visit the court docket, I had a panic assault and I merely may no longer pass in the market. I simply broke down mentally, to be truthful.
Tsurenko added that she and her fellow Ukrainian gamers who she instructed in regards to the dialog at the moment are wondering Simon’s place.
“Everyone is also shocked,” she mentioned. “We requested to arrange a convention name with the WTA board of administrators to boost the query of the way an individual like Steve Simon could be a chief within the WTA and what we will have to do about it.
“How are we able to perceive additional that our group someway protects our rights. I simply do not know the way it took place on this global that such issues wish to be defined. It could be very unexpected and really painful.
The WTA has been approached for remark.