The US Tennis Open will allow the participation of Russians and Belarusians, but on one condition

The United States Tennis Association (USTA, for its acronym in English) has decided to go a different path than its British counterpart and announced on Tuesday that it will allow Russian and Belarusian players to participate in the US Open, which will be played from 29 August to 9 September New York . Albeit with one condition: players from those two countries, who have been banned from Wimbledon as part of the sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine, will only be able to play in Flushing Mews low neutral flagas they did in all the competitions governed by the ATP and the WTA.

“We recognize that every organization that governs world tennis has faced unique circumstances that affect their decisions. Based on our circumstances, USTA will allow all eligible players, regardless of nationality, to compete in the US Open 2022.”was explained in the statement the agency shared on its social networks.

“Together with the other Grand Slams, the ITF, the ATP and the WTA, the USTA previously condemned, and continues to condemn, the unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The USTA, along with these other tennis entities, supported the prohibition of the Russian and Belarusian tennis federations by the ITF, and therefore all international team competitions, and the directive for players from those countries to play under one flag. neutral when competing outside the international team competitions “He added.

The green light from the organizers of the last Grand Slam of the year for Russian and Belarusian tennis players is great news for Daniil Medvedev, world number one, who has lived a few hectic months in recent months.

The Muscovite, who returned to the top of the table on Monday, missed most of the season on clay due to a hernia operation. He didn’t do well at Roland Garros and said goodbye in the round of 16 against Marin Cilic. Sunday remained the desire to add his first title of the season by falling in the final of ‘s-Hertogenbosch before the Dutch strangers Tim Van Rijthoven, who hadn’t won any ATP-level matches in this tournament. And he knows he’ll have to watch Wimbledon on television.

Now, at least, he has the comfort of knowing that he will be able to play in New York and try to defend the 2 thousand points he won last yearwhen he lifted his first – and to date only – Grand Slam trophy in that city.

Another one who will receive the news with open arms will be the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenkafifth in the world rankings, which reached the semifinals of the North American “big” in 2021.

The USTA also stressed that it will work together with the players and the two professional circuits to promote the program. “Tennis plays for peace” (Tennis Plays for Peace “) and new actions to help Ukraine.

“Our sport has done a lot through ‘Tennis Plays for Peace’ to support Ukraine. Unfortunately, the need for help continues to grow. The USTA will respond very soon with a full range of initiatives that will include significant financial assistance and other programs to further support humanitarian aid and the Ukrainian people “, Mike McNultyChairman of the organization’s board of directors.

Confirmed the fate of the Russian and Belarusian representations, a great unknown remains to be revealed for the appointment in Flushing Meadows: Will Novak Djokovic be able to enter the United States for the tour on concrete, despite not being vaccinated against the coronavirus?

The Serbian, who fell to third place on Monday, has already missed the Masters of Indian Wells 1,000 Y You love methat are played in that country, for not having been vaccinated (as happened in January with the Australian Open). And he may even be out of the last major of the yearin which the final was played in the last edition, if the North American country does not change the requirement requested by its visitors complete vaccination program enter its territory, which is not in the hands of the USTA.