The Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati was the scene of controversy after a tennis fan was told to ditch her Ukrainian flag or risk being banned from the competition.
The incident occurred during Sunday's qualifying encounter between Russian pair Anna Kalinskaya and Anastasia Potapova. It was there that umpire Morgane Lara told the spectator her flag was 'bothering' the duo, each of whom have shared messages opposing Russia's war against Ukraine in the past.
But as a furore developed around the incident, tournament organisers insisted the flag's size was the core of concern. However, that didn't align with the story of the spectator who said she was threatened with police intervention if she didn't comply.
