Azarenka Mistaken for Russian Player at Wimbledon Press Conference

Azarenka Mistaken for a Russian Player at Wimbledon Press Conference

Belarusian tennis player Victoria Azarenka was mistaken for a Russian player during a press conference after her match at Wimbledon, which is taking place on the grass courts in London, as reported by Asapsports.

In the first round, Azarenka, seeded 19th, emerged victorious against Chinese player Yuan Yue. After the match, a journalist asked Azarenka about the significance of Wimbledon for Russia and its role in the country's culture. Upon learning that she was not from Russia, the journalist attempted to rephrase the question twice but eventually acknowledged its failure.

"Yes, it's a bad question, but I'll still answer. I think on the international stage, Wimbledon is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most iconic tennis events. It has always been that way, as it is the oldest tournament in history. I'm not from Russia, so I can't say how they feel about it there," Azarenka responded.

In 2022, the organizers of Wimbledon barred Russian and Belarusian players from participating, resulting in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) stripping the tournament of ranking points. In late March, the organizers announced that Russian and Belarusian players would be allowed to compete in Wimbledon under a neutral status.