World No.1 Iga Świątek criticized the WTA for allowing Potapova to wear the shirt and suggested that more should be done to support Ukrainian players. According to Świątek, discussions in tennis are always focused on Belarusian and Russian players.
Potapova has been seen wearing the Spartak Moscow soccer jersey on multiple occasions, including in a photo she posted to her Instagram account during a tournament in Dubai.
When asked about the shirt after her match, Potapova stated that she had supported Spartak since she was 13 and didn’t see anything provocative in wearing it, according to Reuters.
In an email to CNN, WTA spokesperson Amy Binder stated that the organization had formally warned Potapova that wearing the soccer team shirt was not acceptable and inappropriate behavior.
CNN has requested further clarification from the WTA regarding the formal warning and contacted Potapova’s agent for comment.
Ukrainian player Lesia Tsurenko was supposed to play against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells in California but withdrew from the tournament for personal reasons, according to Reuters.
During her post-match press conference on Tuesday, Świątek expressed her respect for Ukrainian players and her understanding of Tsurenko’s withdrawal, stating that if a bomb were to land in her country or her home was destroyed, she didn’t know if she could handle it.