Abu Dhabi Open Apologises to Kasatkina for Spain Flag Error

The Abu Dhabi Open has issued a public apology to Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina for mistakenly listing her as a Spanish national during the tournament's draw ceremony, which led to speculation about her switching allegiance. Kasatkina, currently ranked world number 11, competes as a neutral athlete following the ban on Russian and Belarusian players from representing their countries due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The organizers clarified that the error was an administrative mistake, stating, 'This was entirely an administrative mistake and has now been corrected.' Kasatkina's team firmly denied any claims of her switching to Spain, emphasizing the potential implications of such a perception from Russian authorities. Having not returned to Russia in over two years, Kasatkina has been an outspoken critic of the war and identifies as gay. She is seeded third in the upcoming Abu Dhabi tournament, which begins on Monday.