US judge dismisses Lesia Tsurenko mental abuse lawsuit against WTA
A US judge has dismissed a mental abuse lawsuit brought by Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko against the WTA Tour regarding its handling of Russian and Belarusian competitors following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The legal action originally stemmed from the 36-year-old’s allegations that the governing body and its former chief executive, Steve Simon, failed to adequately protect players’ emotional wellbeing.
Tsurenko, a former world top-25 player, claimed the organisation broke a promise to ban athletes who actively supported the war.
Duty of care focused on physical safety
In her ruling in Manhattan on Wednesday, US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald determined that the tour was best positioned to decide what constitutes detrimental conduct within the sport.
The judge concluded that the Ukrainian had not successfully demonstrated that the organisation held a legal obligation to ensure the game remained completely free from emotional distress.
“When courts have found that sports associations owe a duty to their players, those duties relate to ensuring players’ physical safety, not their emotional wellbeing.”
Judge Buchwald also noted that administrators employed reasoned decision-making in the aftermath of the conflict, which included forcing competitors from Russia and Belarus to compete as neutral athletes.
Panic attack and Indian Wells withdrawal
The experienced baseline specialist had previously highlighted specific incidents that exacerbated her distress on the professional circuit.
These included an accusation that Simon had told her it was acceptable for others to support the ongoing conflict, alongside claims regarding a Russian player wearing a patch for a sanctioned oil company.
The emotional toll culminated in a documented panic attack that forced the Ukrainian to withdraw from a scheduled match against current world number one Aryna Sabalenka at the 2023 Indian Wells tournament.
WTA defends stance on individual athletes
The claimant had been seeking damages for both breach of contract and negligence, including the intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In their successful defence, representatives for the women’s tour maintained they had consistently condemned the military actions while taking significant steps to support affected Ukrainian members.
The governing body successfully argued that individual athletes should not face professional punishment solely based on the political actions of their respective national governments.
Legal representatives for both the player and the tennis organisation have not yet publicly commented on the ruling.
