- Certain players at the Australian Open cannot compete under the flag of their country
- Returning champion Aryna Sabalenka will have a ‘blue flag’ when she competes
Aryna Sabalenka began her title defense at the Australian Open this week – and fans have noticed an odd detail about the way she is presented during broadcasts of the grand slam.
Sabalenka has started her quest for a third consecutive title in Melbourne with an impressive win over Sloane Stephens in the first round and a comeback in the second set to beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in her next match.
However, the flag of Belarus is noticeably missing from the image next to her name, replaced by a simple blue rectangle.
It is the third year that the Grand Slam has ruled that Russian and Belarusian players are not allowed to play under their country’s flag due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Previously, the tournament’s neutral flag was white, but since 2024 it has been blue.
“Players from Russia and Belarus can only participate in international tennis events as individuals – and without flags or country recognition – which will be the case for the 2023 Australian Open,” Tennis Australia said ahead of the 2023 event.
Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka competes under a ‘blue flag’ at the Australian Open
Russian and Belarusian flags are banned at the Grand Slam due to the war in Ukraine
“Tennis Australia stands with tennis’ international governing bodies – the Grand Slams, the ATP and WTA Tours and the ITF – in condemning Russia’s actions and its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
Belarus is included in the ban because it allowed Russia to use its territory as a launching pad for the 2022 invasion.
On Wednesday, Sabalenka spoke about how she feels about not being able to represent her country at the tournament, saying: “It is what it is.”
“I was always proud to represent Belarus in the sense that it is a small country, and I made it from a very small country. It’s not like I was practicing in the United States or in Spain,” she said.
‘I felt like I was some kind of inspiration for the next generation. From there I motivated people, such as tennis athletes.’
The two-time champion added: “If they’re going to bring it [Belarus flag] back, I’ll be happy. If not, that’s okay.’
Sabalenka’s name has been engraved on the Daphne Akhurst Memorial trophy for the past two years, but unlike other champions, her country is not written next to it.
The tournament’s policy is to only allow flags to be flown during matches if they originate from the countries of the players competing. However, Russian and Belarusian flags are banned regardless of who is playing.
Earlier this week, the Australian Open was accused of going soft on pro-Palestinian protesters accused of breaking the tournament’s rules this year.
The tennis star says she hopes to one day compete under her banner again
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley stated that anyone found waving a flag banned at the Grand Slam would be removed from the venue or arrested by police.
The rules apply to anyone ‘who displays material that is intended to disrupt, insult, defame or that is political in nature’.
However, photos emerged this week from the event of fans wearing shirts with pro-Palestine messages.
Australian Jewish Association CEO Robert Gregory said it was a clear breach of rules set by officials.
“The rules should be applied equally to everyone,” he told News Corp.
‘There should be no exception for Palestinian activists.
“Australians have been confronted with anti-Israel protests and disruptions in our cities for more than a year.
“The last place Australians want to see this is in tennis.”