Tsurenko to take legal action over WTA 'abuse'

Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko says she will "seek justice in court" after being subjected to "moral abuse" by the Women's Tennis Association.

The 35-year-old says she has suffered from panic attacks because of the tour's decision to "protect" an unnamed senior official after their "conscious" attack on her.

"I spoke about it openly and directly. I tried to seek protection and justice within the WTA," Tsurenko wrote.

"But in response, faced indifference and injustice, which led to a prolonged moral decline.

"Pain, fear, panic attacks, humiliation, withholding information, harassment of my team to silence me... and this isn't even the full list of what I've had to endure.

"My last chance to defend myself, to stand up for my rights, my dignity, and to prevent such acts of violence in sports is to seek justice in court."

Tsurenko, who considered quitting tennis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has spoken regularly about the challenges of competing on the tour against the backdrop of the war.

The Ukrainian, ranked 239th in the world, pulled out of a match in 2023 after suffering a panic attack following a conversation with the WTA leadership about its response to the war.

She says the organisation has become a "terrifying and alien place".

"The WTA tour refused to protect a woman, a player, a human being. Instead, the WTA tour chose to protect a person in a leadership position," wrote Tsurenko.

"I pray to God that no one will ever experience what I'm going through and that everyone is held accountable for their actions."

The WTA has been contacted for comment.