Why Aryna Sabalenka doesn't have her flag beside her name at Australian Open 2025

Aryna Sabalenka enjoyed a stupendous showing at the 2024 Australian Open, successfully defending her women's singles title. The Belarusian followed her Melbourne title run with another comprehensive Major triumph at the US Open a few months later.

Amidst Sabalenka's recent success, the fact that she hasn't been allowed to use her country Belarus' flag next to her name at the Major tournaments has stuck out like a sore thumb. The same applies to other Belarusian and Russian players on the ATP and WTA Tours.

The decision to disallow the Russian and Belarusian tennis pros from representing their nation's colors first came in 2022, when the International Tennis Federation (ITF) suspended the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) and the Belarusian Tennis Association (BTA) from all four Major tournaments and team competitions, such as the Davis Cup and the BJK Cup.

The ITF went forward with the above move due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing. Belarus, meanwhile, were also stopped from competing on the global stage because they sided with Russia. The governing body wrote in their statement in early 2022:

"The International Tennis Federation (ITF) condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its facilitation by Belarus," ITF wrote in their statment in March 2022. "In addition to the cancellation of all ITF events in those countries, the ITF Board has today announced the immediate suspension of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) and Belarus Tennis Federation (BTF) from ITF membership and from participation in ITF international team competition until further notice."

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Aryna Sabalenka looking to replicate 2024 Australian Open run in Melbourne this year

Aryna Sabalenka is a two-time Australian Open champion

Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, will be eager to do a three-peat at the Australian Open during the next fortnight. The 26-year-old won her maiden Major title in Melbourne two years ago and has since gone from strength to strength, picking up two more Grand Slam triumphs and ending the 2024 season as the World No. 1.

Sabalenka's title victory from last year's Australian Open in particular was the stuff of legends. The Belarusian won her first five matches without losing more than four games in a single set. She then took third seed and reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the last four to reach the title match.

Aryna Sabalenka thoroughly dominated her opponent and first-time Major finalist Zheng Qinwen in the final, beating her 6-3, 6-2 to win her second title in Melbourne.