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Tennis fans have not taken kindly to the news of several ATP and WTA players participating in an exhibition event in St. Petersburg, Russia, amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The second edition of the 'Trophies of Northern Palmyra' exhibition event is scheduled for December 1-3. The event is set to feature two teams, the 'Lions' and the 'Sphinxes'. Each team will comprise three ATP players, three WTA players, and a playing captain.
The lineup features several Russian players, including Karen Khachanov, Veronika Kudermetova, Anastasia Potapova, Diana Shnaider, and Alexander Shevchenko. Other players include Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, Italy's Jasmine Paolini, Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova, Serbia's Laslo Djere and Dusan Lajovic, as well as Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva and Alexander Bublik.
Former Russian tennis stars Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nikolay Davydenko are set to serve as team captains. The event is organized by Formula Tennis Hockey LLC, while Gazprom, a Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation, is reported to be the general sponsor.
Fans were left outraged by the players' decision to take part in the event while the country remained engaged in conflict with Ukraine. One fan strongly criticized the players, suggesting the monetary reward clouded their judgment.
"Playing in Gazprom sponsored exhibition in Russia is absolutely NOT it. What the hell are they thinking about ? Has money really kicked all of their brain cells," the fan posted.
Another fan questioned how the players could participate in the event without feeling embarrassed despite sharing locker rooms with Ukrainian players.
"Gazprom sponsored event in Russia is as low as you can go. I mean they share a locker room with Ukrainian girls who's family homes are being bombed and how are they not embarrassed?" the fan posted.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Wimbledon overturned ban on Russian and Belarusian tennis players at this year's event
Wimbledon lifted its ban on Russian and Belarusian tennis players at the 2023 edition of the event. The All England Club had initially imposed the ban in 2022 in light of the invasion of Ukraine. In response, the WTA, ATP, and ITF had stripped Wimbledon of all ranking points.
Consequently, Russian and Belarusian players were made eligible to compete at SW19 earlier this year. Karen Khachanov missed the event due to a stress fracture he suffered at the French Open. However, his compatriots achieved success at the grasscourt Major.
Andrey Rublev reached his maiden Wimbledon quarterfinal, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic. Daniil Medvedev also secured his first-ever semifinal finish at the event, losing to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals at SW19, while 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva made an impressive run to the fourth round.
