Aryna Sabalenka said Thursday she hopes tennis will eventually allow her to compete under the Belarusian flag again after the International Olympic Committee lifted restrictions on Belarusian athletes.
The world No. 1 has competed under a neutral banner since 2022, when tennis authorities barred Russian and Belarusian players from playing under their national names or flags following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Belarus supported.
The WTA has not yet announced a change to its current policy. The IOC decision applies to Olympic participation and does not automatically force tennis tours or Grand Slam events to follow.
Asked at the Italian Open whether she hoped the women’s tour would restore the Belarus flag next to her name, Sabalenka said she wanted that opportunity back. “I really hope they’re going to give us our flag back,” Sabalenka said.
For Sabalenka, the issue is tied not only to national identity but to what her success represents for young players in Belarus. She said she regularly hears from children who see her rise as proof that players from smaller countries can reach the top of the sport.
“I just know how much of an inspiration I am for young kids,” Sabalenka said. “I just want them to feel confident that no matter where you come from, you can make it all the way to the top.”
Sabalenka added that representing Belarus would carry personal meaning after years of competing without a national flag beside her name.
“For me, representing such a small country, and the hard work that I had to do to get to the top, it means a lot to me,” she said. “I would be super proud to represent Belarus.”
Her comments came after a strong start in Rome, where she defeated Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-3 at the Foro Italico. The win sent Sabalenka into the third round and reinforced her status as one of the leading contenders at the final major clay-court event before Roland Garros.
The Belarusian is still chasing her first Italian Open title. Rome has remained one of the major clay-court trophies missing from her résumé, but her form and ranking make her one of the clear favorites in the Italian capital.
The flag question, however, remains politically sensitive. The IOC’s latest move clears a path for Belarusian athletes to return to Olympic competition under their national symbols, including in qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Russian athletes remain restricted, and some international federations may maintain their own sanctions.
For tennis, the next step depends on whether the WTA, ATP, ITF and Grand Slam organizers decide to revisit the policy adopted in 2022. Until then, Sabalenka and other Belarusian players remain in the same unusual position: able to compete at the highest level of the sport, but not under their country’s flag.
