Opening day of Wimbledon 2023 noticed former grand slam champions take to the courts to place on a display, and among them was once Belarusian former global primary Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka beat Yue Yuan in a decent 3 set contest, going thru to the second one spherical to stand Nadia Podoroska. ,Wimbledon Day 3 Live Updates,
After her victory on Monday, the present global quantity 20 was once on the press convention when she was once requested a moderately awkward query. Although she has been a resident of america for many of her lifestyles, transferring as a young person, she was once born in and represents Belarus. Belarusian athletes have been banned from Wimbledon 2022, together with Azarenka and her compatriot Aryna Sabalenka, because of their position within the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Azarenka was once requested a faulty query by means of a reporter, who requested her how Wimbledon is won in Russia. Slightly stunned, Azarenka spoke back “You know I’m not Russian, right?”
Azarenka would then ask the reporter to rephrase the query in a anxious second, earlier than answering “Wimbledon is definitely some of the greatest tennis occasions, it all the time has been and it is likely one of the oldest in historical past. It’s iconic. I do not know the way it’s in Russia. I’m now not from Russia, so I do not know the way it feels there.
Wimbledon has been broadly criticized for his or her stance on Russian and Belarusian athletes because the ban was once installed position ultimate summer season. Last yr’s girls’s champion was once Elena Rybakina, who was once born and raised in Moscow, however represents Kazakhstan and was once subsequently allowed to compete. However, many really feel the Wimbledon media groups have treated her illustration and advertising and marketing within the lead-up to the match poorly because of her country of start, in spite of being protecting champion.
Azarenka, who is living in Florida, has criticized the Belarusian govt for his or her position within the invasion up to now, having claimed she had all the time sensed a bond between Ukrainians and Belarusians at the excursion.
Tensions have been top forward of the match with Sabalenka as neatly, who informed the click she would refuse to reply to questions on her nation’s politics, and that they might get admission to her feedback in press meetings from the previous in the event that they sought after a soundbite.
Azarenka gained the Australian Open two times, and reached the semifinal of that pageant previous this yr, the place she misplaced to Rybakina. Her highest end result at Wimbledon is a semi-finalist as neatly, in 2011 and 2012, however she will likely be hoping to revel in a just right run on the match this fortnight.