Grand Slam champion banished
According to the Polish Interior Ministry, the Russian tennis player was expelled for reasons of national security and public safety. The agency said Zvonareva was in the transit area of Warsaw's airport before taking another flight to Podgorica, Montenegro.
Polish authorities confirmed that Zvonareva was on Poland's "not welcome" list, after Russia's conflict with Ukraine.
"Zvonareva arrived here on a visa issued by France, via a flight from Belgrade, Belgium," the Polish Interior Ministry announced on July 26. "Polish border guards stopped the tennis player at the border gate on July 21 and asked her to leave."
The WTA Tour has received a report of the incident. The organization confirmed Zvonareva was on the list for the Warsaw Open - the WTA 250 event that kicked off on Monday. "The safety and well-being of our athletes is our top priority. Zvonareva has left Poland and the WTA will further evaluate this," a WTA Tour spokesman said.
Zvonareva, 38, was world number two in 2010. She has 12 WTA titles, a Grand Slam doubles title, a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and two Grand Slam singles finalists at Wimbledon and the US, the same 2010. She also helped Russia win the Fed Cup team title in 2004 and 2008.
Zvonareva has dropped out of the top 700 in the women's singles world, frequently being eliminated early in recent tournaments. But she is still an excellent tennis player in the doubles. This season Zvonareva won the Miami Open women's doubles with Laura Siegemund.
