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Russia’s Pavlyuchenkova begins 2025 US Open with win over Ukrainian Yastremska

Pavlyuchenkova, 34, is the world’s 45th-ranked player, according to the WTA

NEW YORK, August 25. /TASS/. Russian tennis player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova kicked off her 2025 US Open journey in New York with a hard-fought win in the opening round over Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.

The unseeded Russian, who plays under a neutral status internationally, edged out her 30th-seeded Ukrainian opponent Yastermska 6:7 (5:7), 7:6 (7:5), 6:4. In the next round, she will square off former World No. 1 Viktoria Azarenka from Belarus.

Pavlyuchenkova, 34, is the world’s 45th-ranked player, according to the WTA (Women's Tennis Association). She has 12 career WTA titles. Her best result at Grand Slams was in 2021 when she reached the final of the French Open.

The Russian also won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in mixed doubles (with teammate Andrey Rublev), as well as the 2021 Billie Jean King Cup as part of the Russian national team.

The 2025 US Open is being held on outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York between August 24 and September 7. The tournament will hand out $90 million in prize money. Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus are the reigning champions in men’s and women’s singles respectively.

Russian players’ neutral status at tennis tournaments

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC's recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations moved to exclude athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) ruled on March 1, 2022, to suspend the membership of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis federations while also canceling all previously scheduled tennis tournaments in the two countries.

On March 14, 2022, the ITF also confirmed its prohibition on the Russian and Belarusian national tennis teams from participating in the 2022 Davis Cup and the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup.

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