(Reuters) -Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to compete at the U.S. Open this year but only under a neutral flag, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced on Tuesday.
Players from Russia and Belarus are not being allowed to compete at Wimbledon later this month, a move which prompted the men’s ATP and women’s WTA Tours to strip the grasscourt Grand Slam of its ranking points.
“Alongside the other Grand Slams, the ITF, the ATP and the WTA, the USTA, which owns and operates the US Open, has previously condemned, and continues to condemn, the unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia,” the USTA said.
“The USTA… supported the banning of the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations from the ITF, and therefore all international team competitions, and the directive for players from those countries to play under a neutral flag when competing outside of international team competitions.
“We recognize that each organization has had to deal with unique circumstances that affect their decisions. Based on our own circumstances, the USTA will allow all eligible players, regardless of nationality, to compete at the 2022 US Open.”
Russian and Belarusian players are currently allowed to compete on the men’s and women’s tours as neutrals.
The main draw of the U.S. Open begins on Aug. 29.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Chris Reese and Toby Davis)
