What country is Aryna Sabalenka from? Why is her national flag not displayed next to her name at US Open 2024? All you need to know
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is through to her second consecutive US Open final after her 6-3, 7-6 (2) win over 13th seed Emma Navarro. After her heartbreaking loss to Coco Gauff in last year's championship round, she will get another crack at the title against Jessica Pegula in the final on Saturday, September 7.
However, one might have noticed that, unlike other players, Sabalenka doesn't have her country's flag next to her name at the US Open. The 26-year-old, who's a native of Belarus, hasn't been competing under her country's flag for close to two years now due to an ITF decision.
The ITF is the governing body of tennis and decreed that players from Russia and Belarus are eligible to compete only if they play without their country's flags. They were further banned from team events like the Davis Cup. This decision was taken in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Belarus' support for the attack as well.
"Players from Russia and Belarus will continue to be allowed to compete in international tennis events as individuals. However, they will not compete under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice," - the ITF statement on the players' ban.
Aryna Sabalenka made it clear that she doesn't support the ongoing war in Ukraine
It has been more than two years now, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains unresolved. With the constant spotlight on athletes, many of them have taken a stand against the ongoing atrocities right from the start, including quite a few from the tennis community.
Aryna Sabalenka was quizzed about her stance on the same, and she was quick to call for an end to the hostilities between the countries. She stated that no sane person would support the war, and would only hope for a quick and peaceful resolution.
"About the war situation, I said it many, many times: Nobody in this world, Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes, support the war. Nobody. How can we support the war? Nobody, normal people will never support it," Aryna Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka further added that while she was against the war, ultimately the situation was beyond her, or any other player's control.
"Why we have to go loud and say that things -- this is like one plus one, it's two. Of course we don't support war. If it could affect anyhow the war, if it could like stop it, we would do it. But unfortunately, it's not in our hands. That's the part about Ukrainians," she added.
Ukrainian players have chosen not to do the customary handshake at the net against Russian and Belarusian players. Sabalenka has been on the receiving end of the same, and has handled it quite well for the most part, and understands their position as well.