Australian Open: Ukraine ambassador condemns Russian flag sighting at match between Ukraine and Russia players

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia has condemned the appearance of a Russian flag at the Australian Open during a Ukrainian player’s match.

Kateryna Baindl was playing Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round in Melbourne on Monday when the flag was spotted during the second-set tie-break.

Russian and Belarusian players are competing under a neutral flag at the Australian Open following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today,” Vasyl Myroshnychenko wrote on Twitter.

“I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its “neutral flag” policy.”

Rakhimova required treatment in the third set as she lost in three sets to Baindl, with the pair shaking hands at the net after the match.

Myroshnychenko had previously called on Australian Open organisers to follow Wimbledon’s lead from last year in banning Russia and Belarusian players.

Wimbledon chiefs are set to lift that ban for the 2023 Championships at SW19.

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