By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, April 17, 2025
Photo credit: @BrisbaneTennis
Lesia Tsurenko is taking her cause to court.
Tsurenko is taking legal action against the WTA Tour alleging “moral abuse” by its former CEO.
The 35-year-old Ukrainian said on social media she’s suffered “pain, fear, panic attacks, humiliation, withholding information, harassment of my team” by WTA Tour execs in what she claims is a bid to silence her.
Tsurenko has publicly criticized Tour officials in the past over the status of Russian and Belarusian players in the sport following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.
“Even in my worst nightmares, I couldn’t imagine that the professional tour, which I considered my home, would become a terrifying and alien place, where the CEO… consciously committed an act of moral abuse against me, leading to a panic attack and the inability to do my job,” Tsurenko posted on social media. “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.
“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.”
— Lesia Tsurenko (@LTsurenko) April 16, 2025
Back in March of 2023, Tsurenko generated global attention when she withdrew from her scheduled third-round match against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells.
The day after that withdrawal, the Ukrainian revealed she suffered a panic attack after discussing participation of Russian and Belarusian players on the WTA Tour with then WTA CEO Steve Simon.
“A few days ago, I had a conversation with our WTA CEO, Steve Simon, and I was absolutely shocked by what I heard,” Tsurenko posted in March of 2023. “He told me that he himself does not support the war, but if the players from Russia and Belarus support it, then this is only their own opinion and the opinion of other people should not upset me.”
Lesia Tsurenko told us she felt mentally bad for a few days and had a mental breakdown “after all the things I’ve heard. It was a panic attack, I had trouble breathing. A few days ago I had a conversation with Steve Simon, I was absolutely shocked by what I heard from him” 👇 pic.twitter.com/hZZJcNtWOA
— Ukrainian Tennis • BTU (@ukrtennis_eng) March 13, 2023
“This conversation left me completely shocked,” Tsurenko said of her discussion with Simon. “I tried to digest all of the information, but today, I just broke down mentally.”
Now ranked No. 239, Tsurenko has not played a pro match since last November. Tsurenko has won four career singles championships and reached a career-high ranking of No. 23 in February, 2019.
The WTA Tour today responded to Tsurenko’s legal action.
In a statement issued to AFP, the WTA said it has “the greatest sympathy” for Tsurenko and other Ukrainian players, who are dealing with the emotional and mental anguish of the ongoing war, however it asserts Tour officials “acted appropriately.”
“We are disappointed that she has decided to engage in litigation to seek to hold the WTA responsible for her distress,” the WTA told AFP.
“At all times, the WTA and its management acted appropriately and in accordance with our rules, and we are confident that we will prevail in this litigation.”
Current WTA CEO Portia Archer succeeded Steve Simon as CEO in August of 2024 and was not with the Tour when Tsurenko shared that conversation with Simon in March, 2023.
Tsurenko said she’s tried to discuss the issue further with officials, but claims she was rebuffed and her concerns were rejected by the WTA Tour.
“I spoke about it openly and directly. I tried to seek protection and justice within the WTA,” Tsurenko said. “But in response, faced indifference and injustice, which led to a prolonged moral decline.”
