MIAMI — It was a picture-perfect Tuesday at the Miami Open. The sun was shining. The women’s main draw got underway. Fans sampled international cuisine and took selfies with some of their favorite players on the practice courts.
But the mood got serious for a while inside Hard Rock Stadium, as reporters attending Media Day asked Belarusian players Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka about tensions on tour between Ukrainian, Russian and Belarus players.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Wimbledon ban of Russian and Belarusian players last summer, has led to some strained locker room relationships. The WTA and ATP tours barred players from Russia and Belarus from competing under their flags, so they have been competing with no national designation.
