"Using that flag is no different from using a swastika": Oleksandra Oliynykova continues to use platform to share anger at Russian tennis stars
WTAThursday, 28 May 2026 at 01:30
Oleksandra Oliynykova won through again at Roland Garros and now faces Kimberly Birrell on Thursday but as ever for the Ukrainian who has very much been an outspoken figure on Russia, it was another round of her getting her point across.
Oliynykova has often shared her visceral discontent on Russian players akin to Kostyuk and Svitolina but more damning as she makes her way on the tour, she said that their silence speaks volumes and that she has even been threatened by the WTA recently for making a stand as she continues at Roland Garros.
"For me, when I’m playing, I’m professional and I’m doing my job. One day I can win, another day I can lose — that’s part of sport. On court, it doesn’t affect me," she said in her presser.
"But I think we need to understand that turning this into a show is not fair. I could show you what Russians have done to tennis courts in Ukraine. You can see what is happening there. Many Ukrainian athletes went to war to defend Ukraine and died. Others were killed as civilians in their own homes.
"The issue is that these players are part of propaganda. They stay silent, and by doing that they support the regime. Many players are also actively participating in propaganda through social media activity and by participating in events like Gazprom-sponsored tournaments. Some are active Putin supporters.
"We are not talking enough about this. These horrible things are happening for a reason, and part of that reason is the people participating in Russian propaganda and normalising aggression against Ukraine for ordinary Russians.
"These athletes are famous people with influence and money earned on tour, and in my opinion that influence is helping support propaganda. We need to speak about this more.
"The silence on tour is very triggering for me. On court with a racket, it’s different. But outside the court, this is something we need to discuss more seriously. Sports organisations need to do something because these players are given a platform, publicity, money and influence. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, people are dying, courts are being destroyed and sports facilities are being destroyed. We need to stop pretending nothing is happening."
A symbol of terror
Being able to compete again in the Olympics, Belarus get that chance and Russia are now mooted as being the same eventually and Oliynykova compared it to the nazi swastika.
"That flag is a symbol of terror. It’s the symbol Russian soldiers use after destroying cities completely — cities they enter with the intention to destroy, kill, rape and steal.
"For Ukrainians, these symbols are extremely traumatising. We need to understand what they mean in the current context. For me, using that flag is no different from using a swastika. I see zero difference. The fact that this is even being discussed is horrible. I would be very interested to hear the arguments in favour of it because, for me, it is absolutely unfair and immoral.
"I think the world is forgetting who Russians really are under this regime and forgetting the propaganda they spread. Athletes and tennis players are participating in propaganda that is also aggressive toward other European countries, including Germany, Estonia, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. I genuinely don’t understand how this discussion is even happening. It is absolutely unacceptable to me."
Asked whether the private perception is different to what the public sees, Oliynykova said that if they seriously cared they'd use their influence but they don't as they support the regimes.
"No, they are not trying to understand because they don’t care. If they cared that Ukrainians are dying, they would use their influence. They are famous people with fans and audiences who listen to them.
"But they stay silent, even privately, because they support these horrible things. We need to understand this clearly. I will repeat it as many times as necessary because I want people to hear me. No, they don’t care. They support Putin and Lukashenko."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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