Aryna Sabalenka faces the American Amanda Anisimova in the US Open 2025 final without a country flag next to her name. The world No. 1 from Belarus cannot represent her nation at tennis tournaments due to rules put in place in 2022 after Russia declared war on Ukraine.
Tennis fans watching her matches notice the blank space on the scoreboard where her flag should be, while other players proudly display their countries.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Emotional Response to Playing Without Her Flag
The International Tennis Federation made this decision in 2022 when Russia started its war in Ukraine, with Belarus supporting the attack. The ITF stated that “Players from Russia and Belarus will continue to be allowed to compete in international tennis events as individuals. However, they will not compete under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice.”
This means that Sabalenka and other players from these countries, including Daniil Medvedev, Victoria Azarenka, and Andrey Rublev, among others, compete as neutrals, without any national symbols displayed.
Sabalenka has spoken openly about how much it hurts to play without representing Belarus. After losing in the Berlin Open semifinals in June 2025, she got emotional when asked about competing without her country’s flag. “Sports shouldn’t be involved in politics,” she told reporters. “I was always proud to represent a small country like Belarus. Everyone knows where I was born. So at the end of the day, there is no difference.”
🤔 Should sports be involved in politics?
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka told DW she’s not thrilled about having to still compete under a neutral flag 👀 pic.twitter.com/bTDfsLhAO8
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) June 21, 2025
The 27-year-old player was born in Minsk, Belarus, in 1998 and started training there. She previously represented Belarus in international competitions, including the Billie Jean King Cup. In a January 2025 interview, she said she hopes athletes won’t face these issues again. “It is really sad to see that sports are involved in politics in many ways, because I feel like sport was created to avoid some of the more difficult times,” she explained.
Sabalenka has made it clear she does not support the war in Ukraine. At the 2023 French Open, she told reporters, “Nobody in this world, Russian athletes or Belarusian athletes, support the war. Nobody. How can we support the war? Nobody, normal people will never support it.” She also said, “I don’t want my country to be in any conflict, I don’t support war.”
Aryna Sabalenka was asked if she supports Lukashenko:
“Like it’s a tough question, I don’t support war, meaning I don’t support Lukashenko right now.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 6, 2023
The tennis star believes sports should stay separate from politics. She has expressed that no normal person would support war and wishes for peace. Despite not being able to show her flag, Sabalenka continues to play at the highest level. She won the 2024 US Open and has claimed three Grand Slam titles since the ban started. The restriction affects her at all major tournaments, including Wimbledon, where she was completely banned from playing in 2022.
MORE: Coaching Teams of Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova at US Open 2025 – Everything To Know
