The leader of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, commented on why the ATP chose not to expel Russian players, framing the decision as a matter of business. This stance was reported by Championship.com.
The president of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, explained that the Association of Tennis Professionals has opted not to ban Russian athletes, describing the move as a business decision. He highlighted that, over the past year, Russia achieved significant success in team and individual events, including wins in major competitions and notable results by Russian players. He noted that Russia had recently claimed top positions in prominent international tennis events, underscoring the country’s impact on the sport and the attention drawn to individual performers rather than national labels alone.
Tarpishchev also pointed to the structure of the international tennis landscape, where different bodies oversee various parts of the sport. He explained that most events are organized by the ATP and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), two private organizations that drive the professional tour. The International Tennis Federation (ITF), in turn, controls youth events and has a hand in some Grand Slam tournaments, which are largely influenced by the host nations. He stressed that when Russians are removed from certain events, it does not provide a clear advantage to organizers, framing the issue as complex and multifaceted for the global tennis community.
On March 1, the ATP announced a policy allowing Russian players to compete under a neutral flag. In those cases, players are deprived of national symbols such as the flag and national anthem, a compromise designed to preserve competition while limiting national representation. Simultaneously, the ITF adopted a stricter position by banning Russian athletes from competitions under its auspices, illustrating the divergent approaches within the sport’s governing bodies.
Overall, the dialogue around Russian participation reflects ongoing tensions between national representation and the global, commercially oriented structure of professional tennis. The situation continues to evolve as the ATP, WTA, and ITF reassess how to balance eligibility, competition integrity, and the interests of players who compete at the highest levels around the world.