“I approach this event as a Grand Slam tournament,” Russia’s best tennis player said at a press conference.
NOC*NSF does not welcome Tallon’s Greek track participation in Russia: ‘But we cannot ban it’
The organization of the demonstration tournament has added Greek Spoor as the last participant to the field. The best Dutch tennis player forms a team with, among others, Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan and his girlfriend Anastasia Potapova from Russia. In the tournament organized since 2022, they will compete against the team including Medvedev and Karen Khachanov from Russia.
Greek track starts the tournament with a singles match against Medvedev. The tournament is sponsored by the Russian state-owned company Gazprom.
Tallon Greekpoor and his girlfriend participate in a controversial Russian tournament, Minister Van Weel calls on the tennis player to refrain from participating
Greekspor’s participation is controversial. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, no international ATP and WTA tournaments have taken place in Russia. The international tennis federation ITF suspended the tennis associations of Russia and Belarus, which means they are also not allowed to participate in national tournaments. Russian and Belarusian tennis players compete in ATP and WTA tournaments under a neutral flag.
Criticism of Tallon Greek Spoor
Sports association NOC*NSF is “not happy” with the participation of tennis player Tallon Greek Spoor in an invitational tournament in Russia. “It is not in sync with our policy, but it is a personal choice. We cannot prohibit him from doing it,” a spokeswoman said. Tennis association KNLTB says it follows the guidelines of sports umbrella organization NOC*NSF and the International Tennis Federation (ITF). These prescribe that no players or representative teams participate on behalf of the association in events in Russia in response to the war in Ukraine.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David van Weel also appealed to Greek Spoor in vain. “It is not forbidden to participate in tournaments in Russia, but I do call on him not to do it. Just look at the moral aspects,” he said at a debate on Ukraine on Thursday. Greek Spoor remains unavailable for comment for the ANP for the time being.