Jan 12, 2025; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine plays a forehand during her match against Leylah Fernandez of Canada in the first round of the women's singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - There was one solitary Ukrainian flag on display in the stands at the Australian Open when Yuliia Starodubtseva, the first of six women from the war-torn country playing singles this year, faced Leylah Fernandez on Sunday.
It was quite a contrast to two years ago at Melbourne Park -- the first Australian Open after the Russian invasion -- when the flag was ubiquitous among the crowds even when Ukrainians were not playing, and many players wore blue and yellow colours.
"It's upsetting, but I don't know what we can do about it: it's like old news," Starodubtseva told Reuters after her loss to Fernandez.
"I hate that part, but people forget and you have other stuff going, another war going on in the background."
The war, which started in February 2022, is closing on its third anniversary with no end in sight.
Starodubtseva's home town of Kakhovka in southern Ukraine has been occupied by Moscow forces since the early days of the invasion, which Russia calls a special military operation.
Some of her family managed to flee before the Russian forces arrived and Starodubtseva had left for the United States a month before the outbreak of war to return to college.
That, however, has not lessened the impact of the war on her.
"I feel like I am one of the people who have been affected the most, because my family is in that part of Ukraine," she said.
FREE STAY
Australian Open organisers are still allowing Ukrainian players to stay and train for free for the duration of the tournament even after they are knocked out.
"At Australian Open 2023, we made a commitment to the Ukrainian players that they would have access to a safe place during their time in Australia and we have continued offer this support since," Tennis Australia said in a statement.
"It's nice," said the 24-year-old Starodubtseva, who reached a career-high singles ranking of 79 in early October.
The war has affected the tennis world deeply, given the number of Russia and Ukrainian players competing in Grand Slams and other top tournaments.
With the exception of the 2022 Wimbledon tournament, players from Russia and Belarus - Moscow's staunch ally in the war - have continued to compete at Grand Slams, albeit without flags or country recognition.
Ukrainian players have refused to shake hands with their opponents after matches against Russians and Belarusians as a reminder that the war continues.
Marta Kostyuk, who was awoken by a Russian missile attack on trip home to Kyiv two months ago, said for her the issue was clear.
"I will definitely say that while the war is going on, there is no way we will shake hands with them," the 18th seed said after beating Nao Hibino 3-6 6-3 6-1 on Monday.
"I cannot say what's going to be after the war, I'd personally not shake hands with them for the rest of my career."
For Starodubtseva, who is now living in Germany, there will be no return to Kakhovka as long as it remains in Russian hands.
"I'd love to do go back," she said. "I don't see any reason to go to Ukraine unless I can go to my home town."
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly, editing by Ed Osmond)
