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Final Up to date: January 24, 2023, 21:57 IST
Karen Khachanov of Russia waves after Sebastian Korda of the U.S. withdrew their quarterfinal match with an injured wrist on the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (AP Picture/Ng Han Guan)
The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation demanded the ITF takes motion in opposition to Khachanov, who reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam match on Tuesday, wrote the message ”Artsakh keep sturdy!” on a TV digicam after two of his matches
The Worldwide Tennis Federation mentioned it has handed on the letter despatched by the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation, which demanded motion in opposition to Karen Khachanov after the Russian despatched messages of help to the disputed area of Nagorno-Karabakh from the Australian Open to the match’s organisers.
The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation demanded the ITF takes motion in opposition to Khachanov, who reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam match on Tuesday, wrote the message ”Artsakh keep sturdy!” on a TV digicam after two of his matches, later explaining he had finished it out of respect for his Armenian roots.
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The ethnically Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, identified by the separatists because the Artsakh Republic, broke away from Azerbaijan with Armenian help after a bloody post-Soviet ethnic battle within the early 1990s.
In 2020, Azerbaijan launched a second struggle within the area, efficiently profitable again a part of the territory managed by the Armenian-backed separatists.
Azerbaijan tennis authorities despatched a letter of protest to the ITF on the weekend demanding robust measures ”to punish” Khachanov and forestall him from making related ”unacceptable provocations” at tennis tournaments.
”The ITF has obtained a letter from the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation, which we’ve got handed on to the related authorities,” the ITF mentioned in an announcement.
”Guidelines for participant conduct at a Grand Slam occasion are ruled by the Grand Slam rulebook administered by the related organiser and regulator.”
Khachanov mentioned he had not been warned in opposition to writing related messages on the TV digicam after future matches.
”I say many instances. I’ve Armenian roots,” he informed reporters at Melbourne Park after his quarter-final victory on Tuesday.
”From my father’s facet, from my grandfather’s facet, even from my mother’s facet. I’m half Armenian.
”To be trustworthy, I don’t wish to go deeper than that, and I simply needed to point out energy and help to my individuals. That’s it.”
The Australian Open has taken a stance on political subject throughout this match, banning Russian flags from the precinct after one was hung subsequent to a courtroom the place a Ukrainian participant was taking part in.
Russian and Belarusian gamers have been banned from Wimbledon final yr following the invasion of Ukraine however are capable of compete as particular person athletes with out nationwide affiliation on the Australian Open.
Belarus is getting used as a key staging floor for Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, which Moscow phrases a ”particular operation”.
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