Ukraine's Elina Svitolina defeats Russia's Anastasia Potapova at Monterrey WTA
MONTERREY (Mexico): Ukrainian top seed Elina Svitolina blasted aside Anastasia Potapova at the WTA Monterrey tournament on Tuesday a day after threatening to boycott the game against her Russian opponent. Svitolina said on Monday she would not play against players from Russian or Belarus -- unless they were competing under a neutral banner -- as a protest against Russia's invastion of her homeland. However, the prospect of Svitolina boycotting her first round game was erased earlier Tuesday when the ATP and WTA issued a statement effectively granting her wish. That left world number 15 Svitolina free to swat aside 20-year-old Potapova, ranked 81 in the world, with ease in a 6-2, 6-1 win. Svitolina, who played in a yellow top and blue skirt, the colors of the Ukranian flag, thumped her chest repeatedly after wrapping up the win before shaking hands with Potapova.
