Tallon Griekspoor should consider the ‘moral aspects’ of participating in an upcoming exhibition tournament in Russia, according to his country’s foreign minister.
The world No.25 is set to feature in the Northern Palmyra Trophies, which will be staged at the Arena Sports Complex in St Petersburg between November 29 and 30. Comprising two groups of players competing against each other, the event will also feature Alexander Bublik, Daniil Medvedev, and Karen Khachanov.
Currently, it is the only one in Russia that features both ATP and WTA players, as the country is banned from hosting Tour-level tournaments due to its ongoing war with Ukraine. It is for this reason that Russian, as well as Belarusian, players are currently only allowed to compete under a neutral status. Belarus is accused of supporting Russia in the war.
However, players are classed as independent contractors and are therefore free to compete in any other event outside of the Tour calendar. Griekspoor is not the first international player to take part in the Northern Palmyra Trophies, which is held annually. Nevertheless, in his native Netherlands, his participation has raised concerns with some officials.
“It is not forbidden to participate in tournaments in Russia, but I do call on him not to do so. Consider the moral aspects,” Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Van Weel, said on Thursday.
The Dutch Tennis Association (KNLTB) has also issued a statement on the matter, saying they have communicated their ‘position’ to Griekspoor on the matter, but didn’t elaborate on what they said.
“We have been in contact with Griekspoor to inform him of the KNLTB’s position. At the same time, players are free to make their own choices and considerations regarding participation in competitions and tournaments in Russia. In this case, Griekspoor made that decision independently; the KNLTB is not involved.” A spokesperson said.
The tournament is sponsored by Gazprom, which is a state-owned multinational energy corporation that has been accused of financing Russia’s war with Ukraine. The company has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union in recent months.
Griekspoor, who is the partner of Russian tennis player Anastasia Potapova, has yet to publicly comment on his decision to play in the exhibition. This season, the 29-year-old has produced a win-loss record of 30-23, winning one ATP title at the Mallorca Open.
