Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete in US Open under neutral flag - USTA

MINSK/MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - Athletes from Russia and Belarus will be able to compete in the US Open Tennis Championships under a neutral flag, the United States 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," the USTA said.

Alongside other international tennis organizations, the USTA supports the banning of the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations from competing in events organized by the International Tennis Federation, and therefore all international team competitions, and the directive for players from those countries to compete under a neutral flag when competing outside of international team competitions, the association said.

"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 USTA said.

The US Open is a Grand Slam tournament, one of the most prestigious tennis competitions. The organizers of Wimbledon, another Grand Slam championship, earlier banned Russians and Belarusians from competing, this decision sparked criticism of the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women's Tennis Association.

The 2022 US Open will take place from August 29 to September 10.