Former champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov disappointed with Australian Open organizers over removal of nationality

Russian former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov expresses his disappointment over nationality rift at Australian Open

Former champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov disappointed with Australian Open organizers over removal of nationality

Yevgeny Kafelnikov is a Russian former world number 1 tennis player. He won two Grand Slam singles titles in addition to four Grand Slam doubles titles. In the men’s game, he’s the most recent man to have won both the singles & doubles titles at the same Grand Slam. He accomplished the said feat at the 1996 French Open.

His success at the 1999 Australian Open meant he had etched his name in the history of Melbourne. But that surely doesn’t seem to be the case. As the tournament organizers at the Australian Open decided to remove the ‘RUS’ mentioned under his name. This came as a by-product of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

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Top 10 Shots By Yevgeny Kafelnikov (source: Youtube)

Tournament organizers have taken an emphatic stand regarding the war-like situation between the two aforementioned countries. Although Russian athletes weren’t banned from participating in the tournament, like the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. Nevertheless, former champion Kafelnikov felt disrespected as he took to social media to express his displeasure.

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Kafelnikov feels slighted despite stellar achievement 24 years ago

Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Kafelnikov

In spite of his monumental achievements throughout his career, he has been subjected to disrespect in Melbourne. Constraints and conditions may validate the steps taken by the tournament authorities. But it for sure didn’t sit well with the Russian champion. As was evident from his hilarious yet heartfelt take on the matter.

Tennis fans responded, with some citing the example of WTA star Martina Navratilova, who had been subjected to similar disrespect in the past.

Some event went to the extent of demanding an apology from the Australian Open tournament organizers.

At the 1999 Australian Open, 10th seed Kafelnikov won his second singles Grand Slam title, defeating Thomas Enqvist in the final in four sets. He also won in Rotterdam & Moscow, was runner-up at the Canadian Open, and reached the semi-final of the US Open.

Seeded fifth, Kafelnikov won the gold medal in the men’s singles tournament at the 2000 Olympic Games. beating second seed Gustavo Kuerten in the quarterfinals and Tommy Haas in the final in five sets. He also reached the final of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of the French Open.

In 2001, he defeated world no. 1 Gustavo Kuerten in the quarterfinals of the US Open at the loss of just seven games, before losing to Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-finals. Kafelnikov was also a finalist at the Paris Masters, a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open and French Open, and won a record fifth consecutive title in Moscow.

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