Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati: The size of the Ukrainian flag why fans were asked to take it off the field | Tennis News
The size of the Ukrainian flag that a fan had wrapped around her during a game in Cincinnati was the reason she was asked to remove it from the field, tournament officials said.
During the qualifying match between Russian tennis players Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Potapova on Sunday, one of the players is said to have complained to WTA referee Morgane Lara about the fans, according to reports.
Video of the incident posted online shows Lara stepping down from her chair to speak to the fan, who eventually left the courthouse.
According to reports, the tournament’s head of security approached her at the base, who told her the flag was a larger size than specified.
“According to Western & Southern Open bag policy, as stated on the tournament’s website, flags or banners larger than 18 x 18 are prohibited,” a spokesperson for the tournament said in an email.
“So the sponsor was asked to remove the flag from the premises and after doing so be allowed to remain in the tournament.
“Any questions about the presiding referee should be directed to the WTA Tour.”
The WTA Tour did not respond to a request for comment.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, calling it a “special military operation” intended to preemptively protect the country’s security against NATO expansion. Ukraine and the West accuse Moscow of waging a gratuitous imperialist war of aggression.
In response, Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarussian players from participating in this year’s grass court tournament.
Spectators pull a giant Ukrainian flag during the ‘Iga Swiatek & Friends for Ukraine’ charity event in Krakow last month
The US Open, which begins August 29, will allow players from those countries to compete and will host a tournament-long campaign to raise awareness and humanitarian aid to Ukraine with the aim of spent $2 million in relief, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) said last week.
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