Make up your damn mind - Tennis fans react to Victoria Azarenka s last-minute exclusion from US Open charity match for Ukraine × Follow Us Create Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Link Approve Reject & ban Delete Log in Manage your profile Editing Story Queue Video Queue Editing Stats Writer Home SEO Redirection Admin Gaming Wiki Edits Taxonomy Home Edit Site Menu Mapping Dashboard Tag Pages Community Social Feed Queue Feed Center Notification Center Affiliate Home Manage Pages Bottom Tagline Dash Timeless Stories Logout Tennis US Open 2022 News Make up your damn mind - Tennis fans react to Victoria Azarenka s last-minute exclusion from US Open charity match for Ukraine By Aayush Majumdar Modified 25 Aug 2022 Follow Us Comment Share Tennis fans react to Victoria Azarenka's exclusion from the US Open charity event for Ukraine The US Open announced Belarusian player Victoria Azarenka's exclusion from the exhibition event to be held on Wednesday night as a show of support towards Ukraine in light of the ongoing war. While Azarenka was willing to participate in the event and express her support for Ukraine, she was asked to step aside, much to the disappointment of tennis fans. As per reports, a number of Ukrainian players, including Marta Kostyuk, opposed Azarenka's inclusion in the charity event due to her home nation Belarus' support of Russia. The United States Tennis Association (USTA), organizers of the US Open, announced the two-time Grand Slam champion's exclusion from the 'Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition' event on the day of the event. "Vika is a strong player leader and we appreciate her willingness to participate. Given the sensitivities to Ukrainian players, and the on-going conflict, we believe this is the right course of action for us," the USTA said in a statement. Christopher Clarey @christophclareyUSTA announces that Azarenka, the Belarusian and former No. 1 who's on WTA Player Council, will not take part after all in tonight's play for peace exhibition to support Ukraine There had been criticism from Ukrainian players, including Marta Kostyuk, of Azarenka's involvement6016USTA announces that Azarenka, the Belarusian and former No. 1 who's on WTA Player Council, will not take part after all in tonight's play for peace exhibition to support Ukraine There had been criticism from Ukrainian players, including Marta Kostyuk, of Azarenka's involvement https://t.co/xo9SbQVTJt Reacting to the development, many fans expressed their sheer dissent with the decision and empathized with Victoria Azarenka for not being able to openly show her support towards Ukraine. Meanwhile, some fans opined that Ukrainian players should have been consulted before announcing Azarenka as a participant in the first place. "So do they want Russian and Belarussian players’ support or not? make up your damn mind," one fan wrote. Bram @kvitosakaso do they want russian and belarussian players’ support or not? make up your damn mind twitter.com/benrothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergVictoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision.828Victoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision. https://t.co/O4zBW6Fejpso do they want russian and belarussian players’ support or not? make up your damn mind twitter.com/benrothenberg/… Bence@hBenceePoint 1: USTA should’ve asked player’s in advance about their opinion of Vika playing the exho before admitting herPoint 2: USTA should let a Belarusian who wants to support UKRAINE openly. People are asking for support and now you aren’t letting them support? Pathetic. twitter.com/benrothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergVictoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision.31Victoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision. https://t.co/O4zBW6FejpPoint 1: USTA should’ve asked player’s in advance about their opinion of Vika playing the exho before admitting herPoint 2: USTA should let a Belarusian who wants to support UKRAINE openly. People are asking for support and now you aren’t letting them support? Pathetic. twitter.com/benrothenberg/… "I’m speechless. Yes, what Russia is doing is far worse than anything that could ever happen on a tennis court. I just don’t understand how rejecting the support of someone you once called a colleague and a friend, just bc of where they were born, could ever be useful to the cause," read another tweet. Ila @Uaremydream_I’m speechless. Yes, what Russia is doing is far worse than anything that could ever happen on a tennis court. I just don’t understand how rejecting the support of someone you once called a colleague and a friend, just bc of where they were born, could ever be useful to the cause twitter.com/marioboc17/sta…Mario Boccardi@marioboc17Victoria Azarenka has been excluded from the exhibition for Ukraine, despite her willingness to participate. This has made in order to not hurt Ukrainian players' sensibilityI'm a bit sad for Vika. What do you think about this?42Victoria Azarenka has been excluded from the exhibition for Ukraine, despite her willingness to participate. This has made in order to not hurt Ukrainian players' sensibilityI'm a bit sad for Vika. What do you think about this? https://t.co/35FBpiBj98I’m speechless. Yes, what Russia is doing is far worse than anything that could ever happen on a tennis court. I just don’t understand how rejecting the support of someone you once called a colleague and a friend, just bc of where they were born, could ever be useful to the cause twitter.com/marioboc17/sta… Here are a few more reactions from fans to Victoria Azarenka's exclusion from the exhibition event at the US Open: ?Medvedev's interior designer@danolebesties12Peace exhibition and still being kicked out due to nationality. Stop crying about lack of support because u didn't even give them a chance to show their support. ?‍ twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergVictoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision.6510Victoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision. https://t.co/O4zBW6FejpPeace exhibition and still being kicked out due to nationality. Stop crying about lack of support because u didn't even give them a chance to show their support. ?‍ twitter.com/BenRothenberg/… I, Samet@kocaksammSo azarenka is banned from this event for preventing peace by hitting a ball with a racket Stop bullying people that have nothing to do with this horrendous war. twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergVictoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision.228Victoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision. https://t.co/O4zBW6FejpSo azarenka is banned from this event for preventing peace by hitting a ball with a racket Stop bullying people that have nothing to do with this horrendous war. twitter.com/BenRothenberg/… Gaby S.@gabyserrar@BenRothenberg The USTA is at fault here. They should have asked Ukranian players if they were comfortable playing the exhibition with a Belarussian/Russian player BEFORE issuing the invitation to Vika. They didn't and this is the result.651@BenRothenberg The USTA is at fault here. They should have asked Ukranian players if they were comfortable playing the exhibition with a Belarussian/Russian player BEFORE issuing the invitation to Vika. They didn't and this is the result. Sai@Sai_sankar_Its okay if its an exhibition match FOR Ukraine No Russian or Belarusian deserves a place more than a Ukranian player... twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergVictoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision.128Victoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision. https://t.co/O4zBW6FejpIts okay if its an exhibition match FOR Ukraine No Russian or Belarusian deserves a place more than a Ukranian player... twitter.com/BenRothenberg/… A@_fazahsn_I fail to understand what these players really want? Like Vika literally agreed to play an exhibition for Ukraine and that hurt your sentiments? If she had refused in the first place, the same people would be complaining non-stop that “it’s the least one can do” pick a side ffs twitter.com/marioboc17/sta…Mario Boccardi@marioboc17Victoria Azarenka has been excluded from the exhibition for Ukraine, despite her willingness to participate. This has made in order to not hurt Ukrainian players' sensibilityI'm a bit sad for Vika. What do you think about this?22Victoria Azarenka has been excluded from the exhibition for Ukraine, despite her willingness to participate. This has made in order to not hurt Ukrainian players' sensibilityI'm a bit sad for Vika. What do you think about this? https://t.co/35FBpiBj98I fail to understand what these players really want? Like Vika literally agreed to play an exhibition for Ukraine and that hurt your sentiments? If she had refused in the first place, the same people would be complaining non-stop that “it’s the least one can do” pick a side ffs twitter.com/marioboc17/sta… hika@hikar1_yshe’s more high profile than any of the ukrainian players participating. she’s going against her own country trying to raise more money for them. they claim to embrace independence & freedom, yet there seems to be a serious disregard of individuality and intention. twitter.com/benrothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenbergVictoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision.555Victoria Azarenka of Belarus out of the #USOpen exhibition match for Ukraine, per USTA decision. https://t.co/O4zBW6Fejpshe’s more high profile than any of the ukrainian players participating. she’s going against her own country trying to raise more money for them. they claim to embrace independence & freedom, yet there seems to be a serious disregard of individuality and intention. twitter.com/benrothenberg/… While Azarenka misses out, the likes of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Rafael Nadal, and Carlos Alcaraz, among others, are all set to participate in the 'Tennis Plays for Peace Exhibition' event. Marta Kostyuk declines invitation to play charity event due to Victoria Azarenka s inclusion 2022 French Open - Day Six Earlier this week, Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk announced that she had declined an invitation to play in the US Open charity event for her country due to the inclusion of a few Russian and Belarusian players, including Victoria Azarenka. Kostyuk stated that her compatriot Lesia Tsurenko joined her in the decision and they were unhappy about not being consulted by the organizers on the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian players. "Of course, I received an invitation. I think all our players got them," Kostyuk told BTU Portal. "When Lesya Tsurenko and I found out - I'm only talking about us now, because we didn't ask anyone - so when we found out that there would be representatives of Russia or Belarus at this event, I immediately said that I will not participate in this." "First of all, no one asked the Ukrainian athletes if they wanted any of these players to be present. Of course, no one is interested in this, it is the Independence Day of Ukraine, but what Ukrainians think is not interesting, is it?" she added. World No. 26 Victoria Azarenka will next be seen in the main draw of the 2022 US Open. She lost in the second round of last week's Cincinnati Open to defending US Open champion Emma Raducanu after winning her opening match against Kaia Kanepi. Azarenka missed the Canadian Open earlier this month as she was not granted a visa to enter Canada and play in the WTA 1000 event in Toronto. Also Checkout:- US Open 2022 Schedule Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Edited by Anirudh × Feedback Thank You! Be the first one to comment Follow Us Share Show More Comments GIF Comment in moderation 0 0 Reply x Edit Delete Delete the comment? 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