Ukraine calls for Russia and Belarus to be expelled from International Tennis Federation

The Ukrainian Tennis Federation urged the International Tennis Federation on Sunday to immediately expel Russia and Belarus from the organisation.

In a letter reviewed by Reuters, the Ukrainian federation said the action was warranted given Russia and Belarus' "unprecedented, cynical and bloody" attacks on Ukraine over the past four days.

"Civilians are dying, including women and children; civilian infrastructure is collapsing ... This is a full-scale war that will push our country back decades," the letter said, adding that the goal of Russia's invasion was "extermination."

"Russia and Belarus do not have the right not only to hold international competitions on their territory, but also to participate in all ITF team and individual tournaments abroad," the letter continued.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour's military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.

An ITF spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Four leading players from Russia and Belarus are on the entry list for next month's Indian Wells tournament in California.

Daniil Medvedev, who will climb to the top of the men's ATP rankings for the first time on Monday, and men's world number seven Andrey Rublev are Russian. Women's world number two Aryna Sabalenka and world number 16 Victoria Azarenka represent Belarus.

(Reporting by Ossian Shine in London and Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Pritha Sarkar and Kenneth Maxwell)