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Where Is Daniil Medvedev the Tennis Player From and Why Doesn't He Have a Flag? Find Out
Daniil Medvedev remain one of the best players in the tennis world but why doesn't he have a flag associated with him when he plays tournaments? Let's get to know.
Born on February 11, 1996, Daniil Sergeyevich Medvedev is a professional tennis player from Russia. According to the ATP, he was ranked No. 1 in men's singles. He has won 20 singles titles on the ATP Tour, including the US Open in 2021 and the ATP Finals in 2020.
The Russian won the US Open in 2021 by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. He is one of the favorites to lift the title this year as well, but he couldn’t represent his country’s flag in the ongoing US Open. Let’s get to know the reason behind this.
Why doesn’t Daniil Medvedev have a flag?
Daniil Medvedev doesn’t have a flag because of a decision made by ITF following Russia's invasion of Ukrainian territory. The ITF decided in 2022 that athletes from Belarus and Russia were not permitted to compete under their national flags. The text of the statement said:
"Players from Russia and Belarus will continue to be allowed to compete in international tennis events as individuals. However, they will not compete under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice."
In addition, the ITF barred the Belarusian and Russian tennis organizations from participating in any team competitions, including the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. The ‘results system' on the tournament website had a glitch that caused flags to appear for Russian and Belarusian players prior to the 2024 US Open, but it was later fixed.
Only media outlets and professional associations could see this bug. A USTA spokesperson stated that an employee chose the incorrect file, which resulted in an error.
In 2022, Daniil Medvedev spoke with Tennis Channel about what it was like to play without a national flag. Despite rising to the top of the ATP rankings in 2022, the Russian did not wear the Russian tricolor.
Talking about the decision of ITF, he said it was always "tough" to talk about this subject. "It's always tough to talk on this subject because I want to play tennis, play in different countries. I want to promote my sport, I want to promote what I'm doing in my country for sure," Daniil Medvedev said.
In addition, Medvedev discussed the exclusion of Belarusians and Russians from team competitions and expressed his desire to play unhindered going forward. He restated his call for peace and acknowledged that he would be playing without a national flag for some time to come.
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