"What people missed here was a big opportunity to show how sports can unite"- Victoria Azarenka on Wimbledon's ban on Russian & Belarusian players

Belarus' Victoria Azarenka recently expressed her disappointment at Wimbledon's decision to prohibit Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

The decision came at a time when some of the major bodies in tennis were issuing a series of rulings in condemnation of the war. Players from the two nations are barred from playing in international competitions such as the Billie Jean King Cup as they continue to compete on both tours without sporting any symbols of national allegiance.

Azarenka, therefore, sat out for the entirety of the grasscourt season following a third-round loss at the 2022 Roland Garros. Nevertheless, the two-time Major champion made an emphatic return to action with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Dayana Yastremsaka in Washington DC on Tuesday.

In an interview with Tennis.com after the match, Azarenka pointed out how the All England Club's ruling could have been an opportunity to showcase unity in the sport. A member of the WTA Player Council, the former World No. 1 revealed how she couldn't help but concern herself with the implications of the ban on fellow players.

"I’m on the Player Council, so I can’t completely cut myself off," Azarenka said. "I take that part of my job very seriously. I think what people missed here was a big opportunity to show how sports can unite. I think we missed that opportunity, but I hope we can still show it.”

She further explained how her desperate attempts at formulating a middle ground with the concerned tennis bodies were dismissed and ignored. Azarenka expressed her dismay at the blatant indifference towards her efforts to negotiate the ban.

"How did I deal with it? I always try to find a solution that is beyond myself and what can be better because I love to help people," she said. "I love to find solutions from difficult situations. I think what was hard was the absolute ignorance and carelessness from the other parties. I think that was a tough part to digest, because you’re coming in with options, opportunities and your heart, and it’s met with basically a ‘we don’t care."

The All England Club's decision was met with plenty of controversy. The WTA and ATP eventually retaliated by refusing to award ranking points at the tournament this year.

Victoria Azarenka makes winning start to US Open swing

Victoria Azarenka during her first-round match at the 2022 Citi Open

Victoria Azarenka showed no signs of rustiness in her 6-4, 6-0 first-round win over Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska at the Citi Open on Tuesday. The fourth seed will face Czech Republic's Tereza Martincova on Thursday for a place in just her second quarterfinal of the season.

The Belarusian is hoping to gain enough court time and momentum before the US Open, which begins August 29. She is also on the entry list at the WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati. She is a three-time finalist in New York and will be hoping to turn her fortunes around this year.