Russia-Ukraine: Ripples of war will be felt in Indian Wells as tennis tournament begins
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Shockwaves from Russia's attack on Ukraine have rattled the world, permeating all facets of life. The ripple formed at the intersection of politics and sports has reached California's Coachella Valley through the BNP Paribas Open.
The tennis tournament — considered the fifth major and which boasts a loaded international field — begins Monday and will be the first large-scale global sporting event since the invasion began.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and the bloody incursion, partially staged through neighboring Belarus, has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties and more than a million refugees over the course of just over a week.
There are four players from Ukraine, 12 from Russia and four from Belarus who will be in the field and in the desert these next two weeks. That list includes the No. 1 men's player in the world right now, Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
Tennis' governing bodies, the WTA, ATP and ITF, issued a joint statement March 1 with an eye toward decrying Russia's actions but not punishing its players. All Russian and Belarusian players will still be allowed to compete but will be treated as "neutral" with no mentions of their country or representations of their flag. Future tournaments scheduled to be held in Russia and Belarus have been suspended.
And the BNP Paribas Open will follow suit. When a player from Russia or Belarus is announced to begin his or her match next week, the name of their country will not be mentioned nor will their flag be shown. The outer stadiums at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden are traditionally lined with flags of all the countries competing. The Russian and Belarusian flags will not be raised this year.
"A deep sense of distress, shock and sadness has been felt across the entire tennis community following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the past week," the statement read. "Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and we commend the many tennis players who have spoken out and taken action against this unacceptable act of aggression."
Players raise their voices
Tennis players are already speaking out against the attack on Ukraine.
Elina Svitolina, the most well-known Ukrainian tennis player, was lined up to play Russian Anastasia Potapova at the Monterrey Open in Mexico on March 1. She said she would withdraw from the tournament rather than take the court against a player with a Russian flag next to their name.
In the end, Svitolina, wearing a yellow shirt and blue skirt to match the colors on the Ukrainian flag, did play her match when the tournament agreed to strip all emblematic mentions or visual representations of Russia at the match. Svitolina won 6-2, 6-1.
"For me, I’m not playing only for myself, I’m playing for my country. I’m playing for the help of the Ukrainian army and people in need, so this victory is very special. I’m playing for all Ukrainians," Svitolina said, pledging whatever prize money she wins in Mexico and her upcoming events (including the BNP Paribas Open) to the Ukrainian army.
“I think it’s my mission to unite our tennis community to stand with Ukraine, to help Ukraine, because what we’re going through is a horrible thing for all Ukrainians. ... That’s why I’m playing for my country and doing my best to use my platform to try to invite people to support Ukraine.”
Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev, the No. 6-ranked player in the world, used a marker to send a strong message after one of his recent wins. Players often go up to the TV camera and sign their name on the glass after a victory, but Rublev wrote "No War Please" on the camera instead, a bold rebuke of the actions taken by his home country.
Other Russian players have spoken out, too, despite the knowledge that doing so may be dangerous. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the No. 14-ranked player in the world, is one of those brave players.
“I've been playing tennis since I was a kid. I have represented Russia all my life," she wrote on Twitter in a since deleted tweet. "This is my home and my country. But now I am in complete fear, as are my friends and family. But I am not afraid to clearly state my position. I am against war and violence.”
Sergiy Stakhovsky, a Ukrainian player ranked No. 238 in the world, who was not in line to play in the desert this year but did compete here in 2018, has suspended his tennis life and joined the resistance in his home country
In an emotional interview with the BBC, Stakhovsky said he told his young children that he was leaving to play in a tennis tournament.
"My kids don't know that I'm here, they don't understand war," Stakhovsky said just six weeks removed from playing in the Australian Open. "I know how to use a gun. I pretty much hope that I will not have to use the gun, but if I have to, I’ll have to.”
Victoria Azarenka, a Belarusian star who was in the championship match at Indian Wells in October and won this event in 2012 and 2016, took to her social media with a compassionate post:
"I am devastated by the actions that have taken place over the last several days against and in Ukraine. It's heartbreaking to see home many innocent people have been affected and continue to be affected by such violence. Since my early childhood, I have always seen and experienced Ukrainian and Belarusian people, friendly and supportive of one another. It is hard to witness the violent separation that is currently taking place instead of supporting and finding compassion for each other. My heart is with everyone directly and indirectly impacted by this war that is causing such pain and suffering for so many. I hope and wish for peace and an end to the war."
Playing through the pain
It should be fascinating to see how players from all the countries involved, most of whom still have family living in Eastern Europe, handle their split attention as they try to focus on tennis while staying in touch with the news and communications from their homelands.
And what will be the reaction of the crowd at Indian Wells? Will they be supportive? Will there be boos?
Former champion at Indian Wells and current Tennis Channel broadcaster Lindsay Davenport tried to put herself in the shoes of players like Svitolina and Medvedev and Azarenka
"I think it's going to be very emotional out in the desert. I think it's going to be really hard for a number of players to compete, not be on empty emotionally. You know they're not sleeping at night," Davenport said. "I mean, like everyone in the world, I just hope it doesn't last much longer. It seems like it might, but it just seems unfathomable what is happening and what some of these people are having to go through."
The defending BNP Paribas Open champion on the women's side, Paula Badosa from Spain, echoed Davenport's sentiments and said the tennis community is like its own family, so to see others struggling with these realities really resonates.
"I've been following it 24-7 myself and it's a priority in the world right now and it's really sad to see all the news coming out every day," Badosa said on Friday after arriving in the desert to prepare for the event. "I have really good friends from Ukraine I have friends from Belarus so it's very tough to see that, and of course, for them even tougher, and to also try to play well. Trying to compete while you are thinking about your family at home. I hope that we can find peace soon, that is the priority right now. Tennis is not a priority compared to a war."
Shad Powers is a sports columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.powers@desertsun.com.
Players from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus
UKRAINIAN PLAYERS IN THE BNP FIELD
(w/current ranking in parenthesis)
Women's singles: Elina Svitolina (15), Anhelina Kalinina (49), Marta Kotsyuk (54)
Women's doubles: Nadiia Kichenok
Men's singles/doubles: None
RUSSIAN PLAYERS IN THE BNP FIELD
Women's singles: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (14), Veronika Kudermatova (24), Daria Kasatkina (26), Ludmila Samsononova (32), Ekaterina Alexandrova (50), Varvara Gracheva (71)
Women's doubles: Natela Dzalamidze, Vera Zvonareva
Men's singles: Daniil Medvedev (1), Andrey Rublev (6), Aslan Karatsov (22), Karen Khachanov (25)
Men's doubles: none
BELARUSIAN PLAYERS IN THE BNP FIELD
Women's singles: Aryna Sabalenka (3), Victoria Azarenka (16), Aliaksandra Sasnovich (60)
Men's singles: Ilya Ivashka (43)