Several players at Australian Open 2024 have been competing without a national flag, with world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka included.
The Sporting News explains where the reigning Australian Open champion is from and why she doesn’t have a flag next to her name.
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Sabalenka, 25, was born in Belarus’ capital Minsk and has previously played under the Belarusian flag at international events.
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Along with others from Belarus and Russia, Sabalenka is not permitted to compete under the Belarusian flag at the Australian Open. Here’s why:
For the third year in a row, the Australian Open has said that while there will be no restrictions on Russian and Belarusian tennis players competing, they will be unable to compete under the flag or name of their countries, including on their clothes and via the broadcast.
“Players from Russia and Belarus are only able to compete in international tennis events as individuals – and without flags or country recognition – which will be the case for Australian Open 2023,” Tennis Australia said via a statement before last year’s event.
“Tennis Australia stands united with the international governing bodies of tennis – the grand slams, the ATP and WTA Tours and the ITF – in its condemnation of Russia’s actions and its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
Along with Sabalenka, several other big names in the tournament such as Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are also competing under no national flag.
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Sabalenka is currently ranked world No. 2 and is seeded second for Australian Open 2024.
She has been ranked as high as world No.1 in September 2023 after a successful year where she won the Australian Open and reached the final of the US Open.
Sabalenka also made the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2023, with the last time she fell short of at least the semis at a major being the 2022 French Open.