Tsurenko discussed this with Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) chief Steve Simon.
Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko withdrew from Indian Wells after suffering a "panic attack". She decided this after having a discussion with Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) chief Steve Simon.
Notably, she had reached the second round after winning over Donna Vekic.
On the other hand, Emma Raducanu won big, defeating Beatriz Haddad Maria 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. She reached the fourth round at Indian Wells.
Tsurenko said in a statement: "I was absolutely shocked by what I heard, I just broke down mentally. He told me that he himself does not support the war, but if the players from Russia and Belarus support it, then this is only their own opinion, and the opinion of other people should not upset me."
"Officially it will be written ‘personal reasons’, but in fact it is breathing problems and, one might say, hysteria," she added.
Tsurenko further said: "At the same time, he noted that if this had happened to him and he had been in my place, he would have felt terrible."
Emma Raducanu broke twice on her way to swiftly wrapping up the first set inside 34 minutes of the match.
She saved a break point to hold for 2-2 in the decider before the world No. 77 Beatriz Haddad Maia and then produced some brilliant tennis to break in the seventh game.
treatment smiles into the r16! ? pic.twitter.com/26oB28IoMH
— Emma Raducanu (@EmmaRaducanu) March 13, 2023
Raducanu will now face either World No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek or Bianca Andreescu in the last 16.
Notably, Raducanu has played Swiatek only once before on tour, losing 6-4, 6-4 in Stuttgart last April. She has also faced 32nd seed Andrescu once before, last year, where she had to retire midway through the second set when trailing the Canadian.
