Tennis Australia bans Russian flag, Belarus, reaction, Kamilla Rakhimova vs Kateryna Baindl, photo, Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko

Russian and Belarus flags have been banned from the Australian Open with immediate effect.

Although the tournament initially allowed tickets at Melbourne Park, Tennis Australia acted on Tuesday morning after the first day’s drama caused a minor diplomatic incident.

Fans waved the Russian flag as Kamilla Rakhimova faced Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindli. After that, the Ukrainian fans called security and the police to the stands.

Russian and Belarus flags are prohibited on-site at the Australian Open, Tennis Australia said in a statement on Tuesday morning.

Our original policy was that fans could bring them in, but not use them to cause disruption. We had an incident yesterday where the flag was placed in the yard.

The ban takes effect immediately.

We continue to work with our players and fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy tennis.

It comes as Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia condemned the flying of the Russian flag during a match between players from the warring countries at the Australian Open on Monday.

Russia’s war of aggression has seen the nation sanctioned in the sporting world, with punishments ranging from full bans (at Wimbledon and the World Championships) to athletes competing under a neutral flag.

The latter is the case at Melbourne Park this year, with players such as back-to-back finalist Daniil Medvedev shown on TV with a white flag instead of the Russian flag for his first-round clash with Marcus Giron.

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Relevant players are listed in official tournament documents and statistics without country.

It was all about Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova in her opening match against Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl, which the latter won 7-5 6-7(8) 6-1.

But a screenshot went viral on social media during a second-set tiebreak showing a fan hanging a Russian flag from the trees surrounding the tiny Court 14.

On Monday evening, Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko strongly condemned the public display of the Russian flag during Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindli’s match at the Australian Open today.

I urge Tennis Australia to immediately implement its neutral ticket policy, he added.

Myroshnychenko last week called on the Australian Open to ban Russian and Belarusian players altogether – the latter due to Belarus’ support for Vladimir Putin’s invasion – as Wimbledon did.

The tournament chose a neutral ticket policy instead.