Aryna Sabalenka’s flag is not shown because she is from Belarus, and tennis governing bodies have suspended the use of Russian and Belarusian national symbols due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Since 2022, players from Russia and Belarus have been allowed to compete on the professional tour (including the Australian Open) only as “neutral athletes.”
Here is what that means in practice:
No Flag: On TV graphics and scoreboards, the space next to her name is either left blank or replaced with a white/neutral symbol.
No Anthem: If she wins a tournament, the Belarusian national anthem is not played.
No Country Name: She is not officially listed as representing “Belarus” on tournament draws or trophies.
This rule applies to all players from those two nations (such as Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Daria Kasatkina) and will remain in effect until the sanctions are lifted.
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