MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. Russian tennis players will be allowed to participate in the 2022 US Open with a neutral status, the US Tennis Association (USTA) said on Tuesday.

"The USTA will allow individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in the 2022 US Open, but only under a neutral flag. Alongside the other Grand Slams, the ITF, the ATP and the WTA, the USTA, which owns and operates the US Open, has previously condemned, and continues to condemn, the unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The USTA, standing with these other tennis entities, supported the banning of the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations from the ITF, and therefore all international team competitions, and the directive for players from those countries to play under a neutral flag when competing outside of international team competitions. We recognize that each organization has had to deal with unique circumstances that affect their decisions. Based on our own circumstances, the USTA will allow all eligible players, regardless of nationality, to compete at the 2022 US Open," the statement said.

On April 20, the Wimbledon organizers, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), announced a decision to bar players from Russia and Belarus citing as a reason Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. Other tennis competitions in the UK also are covered by the ban. The decision came under criticism from the ATP and the WTA. This year, the tournament runs between June 27 and July 10.

On March 1, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) ruled to suspend the membership of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis federations and also cancelled all previously scheduled tennis tournaments in these countries. On March 14, the ITF also confirmed its ban in regard to the Russian and Belarusian national tennis teams from taking part in the 2022 Davis Cup and 2022 Billie Jean King Cup. The Women Tennis Association (WTA) and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) allowed tennis players from Russia and Belarus to continue participating in WTA and ATP tournaments, but under a neutral status.

The 2022 US Open will run from August 29 to September 11. Current reigning champions are Russia’s Daniil Medvedev and the UK’s Emma Raducanu. At the 2022 French Open, the Russian tennis players also competed under a neutral flag. The tournament ran from May 22 to June 5.