By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, April 17, 2025
Picture credit score: @BrisbaneTennis
Lesia Tsurenko is taking her trigger to courtroom.
Tsurenko is taking authorized motion towards the WTA Tour alleging “ethical abuse” by its former CEO.
The 35-year-old Ukrainian stated on social media she’s suffered “ache, worry, panic assaults, humiliation, withholding data, harassment of my crew” by WTA Tour execs in what she claims is a bid to silence her.
Tsurenko has publicly criticized Tour officers previously over the standing of Russian and Belarusian gamers within the sport following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.
“Even in my worst nightmares, I couldn’t think about that the skilled tour, which I thought-about my house, would turn into a terrifying and alien place, the place the CEO… consciously dedicated an act of ethical abuse towards me, resulting in a panic assault and the lack to do my job,” Tsurenko posted on social media. “The WTA tour refused to guard a girl, a participant, a human being. As a substitute, the WTA tour selected to guard an individual in a management place.
“My final probability to defend myself, to face up for my rights, my dignity, and to forestall such acts of violence in sports activities is to hunt justice in courtroom.”
— Lesia Tsurenko (@LTsurenko) April 16, 2025
Again in March of 2023, Tsurenko generated world consideration when she withdrew from her scheduled third-round match towards Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells.
The day after that withdrawal, the Ukrainian revealed she suffered a panic assault after discussing participation of Russian and Belarusian gamers on the WTA Tour with then WTA CEO Steve Simon.
“A number of days in the past, I had a dialog with our WTA CEO, Steve Simon, and I used to be completely shocked by what I heard,” Tsurenko posted in March of 2023. “He informed me that he himself doesn’t help the warfare, but when the gamers from Russia and Belarus help it, then that is solely their very own opinion and the opinion of different folks mustn’t upset me.”
Lesia Tsurenko informed us she felt mentally unhealthy for a number of days and had a psychological breakdown “after all of the issues I’ve heard. It was a panic assault, I had bother respiratory. A number of days in the past I had a dialog with Steve Simon, I used to be completely shocked by what I heard from him” 👇 pic.twitter.com/hZZJcNtWOA
— Ukrainian Tennis • BTU (@ukrtennis_eng) March 13, 2023
“This dialog left me utterly shocked,” Tsurenko stated of her dialogue with Simon. “I attempted to digest the entire data, however as we speak, I simply broke down mentally.”
Now ranked No. 239, Tsurenko has not performed a professional match since final November. Tsurenko has received 4 profession singles championships and reached a career-high rating of No. 23 in February, 2019.
The WTA Tour as we speak responded to Tsurenko’s authorized motion.
In an announcement issued to AFP, the WTA stated it has “the best sympathy” for Tsurenko and different Ukrainian gamers, who’re coping with the emotional and psychological anguish of the continued warfare, nevertheless it asserts Tour officers “acted appropriately.”
“We’re disenchanted that she has determined to have interaction in litigation to hunt to carry the WTA chargeable for her misery,” the WTA informed AFP.
“Always, the WTA and its administration acted appropriately and in accordance with our guidelines, and we’re assured that we are going to prevail on this litigation.”
Present WTA CEO Portia Archer succeeded Steve Simon as CEO in August of 2024 and was not with the Tour when Tsurenko shared that dialog with Simon in March, 2023.
Tsurenko stated she’s tried to debate the problem additional with officers, however claims she was rebuffed and her considerations had been rejected by the WTA Tour.
“I spoke about it brazenly and straight. I attempted to hunt safety and justice inside the WTA,” Tsurenko stated. “However in response, confronted indifference and injustice, which led to a chronic ethical decline.”
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