Notorious for his nasty comments about Serena Williams, the Russian tennis president is now slamming WTA and Iga Swiatek over Indian Wells Row
Anastasia Potapova, the Russian tennis player, sparked a whole new controversy by expressing her love for her favorite soccer team on the tennis court. When Potapova was punished by the tennis community for her actions, Shamil Tarpischev, the chairman of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF), came to her defense.
Yes, it’s the same person who was once suspended for a year for his incredibly stupid and offensive remark about Serena and Venus Williams calling them the “Williams brothers”.
Well, his comment about the Russian tennis player wearing her favorite team’s soccer jersey gave tennis fans something to think about.
ADVERTISING
The article continues below this ad
Shamil Tarpischev’s take on Anastasia Potapova’s football shirt controversy
In a recent conversation with Russia’s official state news agency TASS, the RTF President offered his take on the whole Potapova jersey controversy. For context, the 21-year-old was cautioned by the WTA for wearing a FC Spartak Moscow jersey on the tennis court. She wore the jersey ahead of her game against Jessica Pegula in Indian Wells.
However, general consensus is that wearing a jersey of a Russian football team in the midst of the Russo-Ukrainian war situation would cause political tension.
However, the former Russian tennis player does not feel the same way. And said the WTA should have handled the situation differently instead of jumping to conclusions.
He said, “It’s not a coat of arms or a flag, it’s a football club. I haven’t heard that you can’t go out in club shirts.”
The 75-year-old former Russian coach explained that there is no such rule that a tennis player cannot wear a football shirt on the tennis court. With this statement he clearly turned against the Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek and the WTA assumption of the overall situation.
DIVE DEEPER
ADVERTISING
The article continues below this ad
While on the one hand a former Russian player stood up for his compatriot. Meanwhile, WTA world number one star Iga Swiatek was the first to express concern about Potapova’s actions, forcing the WTA to issue an official warning regarding the situation.
Iga Swiatek’s statement sparked the Potapova kit controversy
The statement by the world’s top tennis player that Potapova wears the jersey of the Russian football team sparked the whole controversy. The three-time Grand Slam winner pointed out that the way the Russian tennis player showed her support for her favorite soccer team was a wrong call.
ADVERTISING
The article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY – Maria Sharapova makes whimsical taunts to Novak Djokovic about how she helped him win Grand Slams
She also stated that showing support for Russia on the tennis court is definitely not a good idea. And she also stressed that she has no idea why the Russian tennis player made such a bold move at a prestigious tournament like Indian Wells.
