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World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has urged everyone to think more about Ukrainian players and their needs instead of focusing on Russian and Belarusian players and whether they should be allowed to compete.
During Swiatek's press conference after her fourth-round win over Emma Raducanu at the Indian Wells Open on Monday, the Pole was asked about her feelings on Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko's withdrawal from the tournament. Swiatek responded by praising the mentality of the Ukrainian players given that they are competing whilst their country is at war.
"I totally understand why she withdrew, because honestly, like, I respect Ukrainian girls like so much, because if like a bomb landed in my country or if my home was destroyed, I don't know if I could handle that, honestly, and play on WTA and compete. You have to really mentally be there to, you know, compete every week. So I totally get that she wasn't, you know, ready to do that," Swiatek stated.
The 21-year-old also claimed that the tennis world discusses more about Russians and Belarusians being allowed to compete rather than focusing on the mental state of Ukrainian players and what they are going through.
"And, well, like I feel there should be done a little bit more to kind of help Ukrainian players, because I feel like the more -- like, everything we discuss in tennis is more about Belarusian and Russian players if they should be allowed, like what's going on with them," Swiatek said.
"I don't think that's right, because we should more focus on helping Ukrainian players and providing them everything that they need, because they basically have to take care of like all their families, and there's a lot of baggage on their shoulders," she added.
The World No. 1 went on to vow to help as much as she herself could to ease the situation for the Ukrainians.
"I'll try to kind of help with that as well, because I guess with everything that is happening, the actions that were taken up to this point were, I don't think they were enough," Swiatek said.
"Russian and Belarusian players are kind of safe" - Iga Swiatek on financial effects of the war
Iga Swiatek has also expressed her view that everyone who is in a better financial position should speak up about the situation. She believes that being in an agreeable position due to tennis should push people to take responsibility.
"I feel like with everything that we are doing in tennis and with us being kind of examples for kids and for fans, we also bear some responsibility. It's unfortunate that some people were born in countries that make the war, but I feel like with that responsibility should come -- like, they should be more responsible sometimes. I don't know how to finish that sentence," Iga Swiatek said.
She went on to state that tennis players, including Russian and Belarusian athletes, are in a better position to earn while playing.
"I think honestly we, as tennis players, are in a better situation than most of the people in Russia and Belarusian and Ukraine, because there are many people who kind of lost their job because of the war. I think like with the money that we are earning, even the Russian and Belarusian players are kind of safe," she said.
Swiatek will face Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Open as she seeks to defend the title she won last year against Maria Sakkari.
