Tennis-Ukraine's Svitolina hoped US Open would take firmer action on Russians

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Ukraine's Elina Svitolina does not agree with the U.S. Open decision to allow players from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutrals and hoped the Grand Slam organisers would take a firmer stand following Moscow's invasion of her country.

Russian and Belarusian players are banned from competing at Wimbledon, which starts on June 27, but the United States Tennis Association allowed them to play under a neutral flag at the hardcourt major in New York.

"It's their decision to make, they decided to take this path. I don't support it because I feel like they should have taken more serious action," the former world number three told Reuters from Geneva.

"Our (Ukraine's) sports is thrown back by 10 years minimum because all the infrastructure has been damaged or completely destroyed. I can tell you many, many factors that can play a role in the decision of not letting Russian and Belarusian players compete."

Russian and Belarusian players, who also participated at the French Open, are banned from team events but are allowed to compete as neutrals on the men's and women's tours.