Tsurenko Slams WTA CEO For 'Trying To Avoid Responsibility' After Panic Attack Incident

| by Alex Waite

Lesia Tsurenko has revealed that the WTA has launched an investigation into her coach, Mykyta Vlasov.

Currently, the investigation details have not been disclosed due to confidentiality and the Ukrainian player said she received an email from the WTA saying that Vlasov is being investigated. Tsurenko responded by criticising the governing body for attempting to pressure her after she spoke out against Russian and Belarusian players who have supported the war in Ukraine.

Following Tsurenko's outspoken actions against the WTA on the Russia-Ukraine war, a resulting conversation with CEO Steve Simon led the player to have a panic attack and Vlasov responded by writing to the WTA to investigate Simon's actions. As the ongoing disagreement rumbles on, Tsurenko told Big Tennis of Ukraine, that the investigation into Vlasov feels like an attack on her and her team.

"My coach initiated an investigation into Steve Simon's actions. He submitted an official request to the WTA to open a case. And today I received a letter in which the association informed me that the case was opened against my coach. They decided to just get rid of the only person who spoke in my defense in this incident with the WTA chairman."

Tsurenko said to Big Tennis of Ukraine 
Tsurenko urges fellow Ukranians to beat Russians - "No sympathy for any of them"
Tsurenko urges fellow Ukranians to beat Russians - "No sympathy for any of them"

"I feel like with such effort WTA is trying to put pressure on me, continuing what Steve Simon started. I can't believe that in the civilized world it is still possible to see such dirty games, and that the chairman of the company is trying to avoid responsibility for his own actions in any way and will not shy away from using any means."

In addition, world number 45 said that her previous queries and complaints to the WTA were not considered during the case. As a result, the player has criticised the governing body of trying to ignore and silence the issues she has previously raised about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"After my non-public complaint, not a single WTA official responded in any way. After my public statement, no WTA official, including Lindsay Brandon (Director of Safeguarding), Bob Campbell (Senior Director, Security), David Palanzo (Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs), contacted me to clarify the circumstances and the subject of my statement."

"This indicates that the WTA was simply trying to hush up this incident and the fact of moral failure on the part of the company's CEO."

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