Elina Svitolina says Russian and Belarusian players who denounce Moscow's invasion of her country Ukraine should be allowed to participate at Wimbledon.
The grasscourt Grand Slam has announced Russian and Belarusian competitors will be banned from this year's tournament, ruling the likes of men's world No.2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia and women's fourth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus out of the June 27-July 10 event.
World No.25 Svitolina joined fellow Ukrainian players in seeking a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions, but appears to have softened her stance in an interview with the BBC.
"We don't want them banned completely," Svitolina said. "If players don't speak out against the Russian government, then it is the right thing to ban them.
"We just want them to speak up, if they are with us and the rest of the world, or the Russian government. This is, for me, the main point.
"If they didn't choose, didn't vote for this government, then it's fair they should be allowed to play and compete."
The governing bodies of men's and women's tennis have criticised Wimbledon for its decision, while WTA founder Billie Jean King says the Grand Slam's decision was a "complex undertaking" amid the challenges and pressures they were facing.
"One of the guiding principles of the founding of the WTA was that any girl in the world, if she was good enough, would have a place to compete," King said. "I stood by that in 1973 and I stand by that today.
"I cannot support the banning of individual athletes from any tournament, simply because of their nationality."
Svitolina, who has friends and family still in Ukraine, says Russian and Belarusian players have to do more.
Medvedev tweeted a plea for peace in February, while compatriot Andrey Rublev wrote "No War Please" on the lens of a TV camera on his way to winning the Dubai title.
"I can count on one hand how many Russian and Belarusian players who have asked me how I'm doing, how is my family, is everyone safe?" Svitolina says. "That's why I feel sad about this situation.
"Personally, some people should do a bit more than they've done. It's mysterious.
"The way Russian and Belarusian players have been is very sad. We're colleagues who see each other every week, so it's shocking to see this change and so quick."
Reuters
