MINSK, September 7. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko extended congratulations to his country’s tennis star Aryna Sabalenka in regard to her winning the 2025 US Open in New York.
In a late Saturday night women final’s battle at the US Open, the tournament’s top seed and defending champion from Belarus Sabalenka, playing under neutral status at the tournament, sweated out a straight-sets win 6-3; 7-6 (7-3) over her 8th-seeded US opponent Amanda Anisimova.
"Dear Aryna! Congratulations on your another brilliant victory at the US Open! You have scaled another important summit with your champion’s resolve," President Lukashenko stated in his congratulatory message posted by BelTA news agency.
"I am sure that you feel the huge support of your compatriots no matter where you are in the world. We are proud of you and excited for your next triumph," Lukashenko added.
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 awards $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 and Belarusian 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.