Russian tennis player who wore Spartak Moscow football shirt denies political intent

Anastasia Potapova – the Russian player who was given a formal warning last week for wearing a Spartak Moscow football jersey on her way onto the court – has insisted that there was no political intention in her choice of clothing.

Speaking in Miami, Potapova told reporters that “It's very sad that people seeing things that isn't actually the truth. I'm just super fan of Spartak since I was 10 years old. My dad built part of the stadium for this team, so it's our family thing.”

Potapova added that she had been taken aback by the ruling from the Women’s Tour Association, but would have to accept it. “We were surprised but whatever. It's as I said, people are seeing what they only want to see.”

In a quirk of scheduling, Potapova opened her Miami Open campaign on Thursday against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, scoring a 6-1, 6-3 win that reflected her superior ranking. At the close of the match, Kostyuk pointedly declined to offer a handshake.

“Obviously there is tension,” said Kostyuk, who is from Kiev. “Like, we're not friends. We're at war at the moment.”

Kostyuk also claimed that an attempt from a group of Ukrainian women to arrange a meeting with the WTA had received no response. “We wanted to have the meeting with the board,” she explained. “And we didn't get one. No reply. Nothing. Just a silence.”

As for the WTA’s warning to Potapova, Kostyuk sounded underwhelmed by the severity of the gesture. “There are a lot of things that I don't agree with that WTA is doing. Warning? Whatever. You give her a warning. Do you want to suspend someone? I don't know. I can't comment on that really. It's just funny.”

The All England Club are expected to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian players for this summer’s Wimbledon, but there is still much open antipathy within the ranks of the players.

Belarusian No1 Aryna Sabalenka said on Tuesday that “I've never faced that much hate in the locker room”, while her compatriot Victoria Azarenka criticised world No1 Iga Swiatek – who is Polish – for speaking out in support of the Ukrainians.