Swiatek Calls for More Support for Ukrainian Players

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates defeating Emma Raducanu of Great Britain during BNP Paribas Open on March 14, 2023 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates defeating Emma Raducanu of Great Britain during BNP Paribas Open on March 14, 2023 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT

Swiatek Calls for More Support for Ukrainian Players

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates defeating Emma Raducanu of Great Britain during BNP Paribas Open on March 14, 2023 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates defeating Emma Raducanu of Great Britain during BNP Paribas Open on March 14, 2023 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

World number one Iga Swiatek has called for more support to be offered to Ukrainian players on the women's tour after Lesia Tsurenko said she withdrew from her match against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells due to a panic attack.

Tsurenko said the attack was triggered by a chat she had with WTA Chief Executive Steve Simon about tennis's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Belarus has been a key staging ground for what Moscow calls a "special military operation".

Poland's Swiatek, who wears a Ukrainian flag on her cap during matches, has previously condemned Russia's invasion and said the action taken by the tennis leadership had not been enough.

"I totally understand why she withdrew, because honestly I respect Ukrainian girls so much. If a bomb landed in my country or if my home was destroyed, I don't know if I could handle that and compete," Swiatek said.

"You have to really mentally be there to compete every week. So I get that she wasn't ready to do that.

"I feel more should be done to help Ukrainian players because everything we discuss in tennis is about Belarusian and Russian players, if they should be allowed, what's going on with them.

"I don't think that's right, because we should focus more on helping Ukrainian players and providing them everything they need because they basically have to take care of all their families, and there's a lot of baggage on their shoulders."

Swiatek had also criticised Anastasia Potapova after she sparked outrage by wearing a T-shirt of Russian football team Spartak Moscow before her match against Jessica Pegula.

Swiatek said such situations could have easily been avoided.

"At the beginning we didn't have proper leadership to guide us through all of that," Swiatek said. "There's a lot of tension in the locker room that obviously is going to be there because there's a war.

"But maybe it should be a little bit less if WTA put some action at the beginning to explain to everybody what's right and what's not."



Alcaraz Crushes Shevchenko to Reach Second Round at Australian Open

 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)
TT

Alcaraz Crushes Shevchenko to Reach Second Round at Australian Open

 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)

Carlos Alcaraz began his bid to complete a career Grand Slam with an imperfect but entertaining 6-1 7-5 6-1 win over Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko to ease into the Australian Open second round on Monday.

Four-times major champion Alcaraz is targeting his maiden trophy at Melbourne Park to become the youngest man to capture all four Grand Slam titles and the 21-year-old went all guns blazing after a slightly nervy opening game.

"I always say that it's hard work," Alcaraz said.

"I try to bring the best of me every day. That's the secret. Every day I try to be a better person and better player."

The third seed, still fine-tuning a new service motion that he adopted in the off season, fended off a break point and then broke in the third game to take full control of the opening set which he wrapped up in double quick time.

French Open and Wimbledon holder Alcaraz found his range with some devastating winners on both flanks and went up 3-1 in the second set but world number 77 Shevchenko won the next four games as fans on Margaret Court Arena got behind the underdog.

Alcaraz switched back on and struck a fiery forehand winner to set up another break point and drew level in the 10th game as his opponent began to feel the intense pressure again and went on to surrender the set.

With the momentum having swung definitively, 2022 US Open champion Alcaraz reeled off games in the third set and finished it off with a big ace on his fifth match point to book a second-round meeting with Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.

"He's a really solid player," Alcaraz said.

"I have to be focused on my shots ... Hopefully I can enjoy the match, it's going to be tough. I'll try to produce some good tennis for people to enjoy."