Australian tennis bosses forced to step in after star promotes Russia and makes trip | Tennis | Sport

Australian tennis bosses stepped in after Thanasi Kokkinakis defied advice by competing in a Russian exhibition.

The world No. 71 entered the North Palmyra Trophies event in St Petersburg at the end of November.

In an interview for the tournament, he said the city and the people were “really nice”.

It has now emerged that Kokkinakis was reportedly strongly advised against going to Russia to compete. The tournament is said to be backed by state-owned energy giant Gazprom, which is blacklisted by the Australian federal government.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Tennis Australia has now issued a statement warning players not to compete in Russian exhibition tournaments.

“For several years, Tennis Australia has publicly and privately supported Ukraine athletes and sought and abided by federal government policy and recommendations in regard to Russia. This support and compliance continues,” it read.

“We advise athletes against competing in Russia and are in ongoing discussions with DFAT to provide education to players about the potential ramifications for doing business in this area.”

They also reported that Kokkinakis, who is managed by Tennis Australia’s player management team, was “strongly advised” not to compete in the country.

The 28-year-old was listed as a participating player on the North Palmyra Trophies tournament website. In singles, he played against Karen Khachanov and Roberto Bautista Agut.

Kokkinakis also appeared on camera in an interview for the tournament. He remembered visiting St Petersburg in 2015 and said: “Everyone is so nice here.

“People are lovely. It’s a really nice city so hopefully I can explain a little bit more. Maybe after the next few days I can tell you what’s nice.”

The ATP and WTA Tours previously held tournaments in St Petersburg and other Russian cities before the war in Ukraine started. Players from Russia and Belarus have also competed as neutrals since 2022.

The North Palmyra Trophies has been staged for the last three years. In 2023, the WTA said it was “not supportive” of the event but did not stop its players from competing.

The ATP has also not imposed sanctions on players for entering Russian exhibition events during the off-season, as players are independent contractors and can choose their schedules.

The world No. 71 skipped the Brisbane International in the first week of the 2025 season. Kokkinakis then entered the Adelaide International but withdrew before his quarter-final.

The Aussie lost his second-round singles match at Melbourne Park and was visibly struggling with a pec injury. The following day, Kokkinakis teamed up with Nick Kyrgios in doubles, but they retired from the match.

Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge criticised Kokkinakis for playing lucrative exhibition events and jeopardising his body for the regular tennis season.

The 28-year-old hit back, saying: “We’re trying to make a living as much as he is. Unfortunately, ATP sometimes, if you make a semifinal of a 250 event, you don’t get as much as what you would playing an exhibition.”