BENGALURU: Exactly a week ago, Alibek Kachmazov encountered the war that his country, Russia, had unleashed on neighbouring Ukraine, a war that has caused tens of thousands of deaths. The 20-year-old was playing in the Chennai Open qualifiers and was up against Ukrainian Vladyslav Orlov. After Kachmazov’s victory, Orlov refused a handshake.
“I think Russian and Belarusian players should be banned until their country stops invading other countries,” he had told The New Indian Express.
Kachmazov, who advanced to the second round of the Bengaluru Open with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Maximilian Neuchrist on Tuesday, was inevitably faced with questions on Orlov’s words after the match. His response, though, was that he had no problems with the Ukrainian's statement. “I understand his frustration. He has a family there. No one wants this,” he said. “When he says stuff like ‘I hope he cannot play’, I understand his frustration. He doesn’t want to shake hands with me after the match, that is also not a problem.
“I respect the Ukrainian guys, I have no problems with any one of them.” At the same time, Kachmazov also emphasized that it was unfair to penalise him for something that he had no control over (though a number of his sponsors allegedly support the war, a charge made by Orlov in Chennai).
“From my side, I cannot say stuff like he is saying. Because I think he is wrong. We are all professional athletes. I think he must understand that I am a professional athlete too. It is not in my hands what is going on there. I am just playing tennis. When he says this, it is his choice, but I will never say this,” Kachmazov said.
Kachmazov is in Bengaluru technically as a man without a nationality — Russian players are allowed in international tournaments as individuals, but cannot represent their nation. Kachmazov says that playing with a blank space next to his name on the scoreboard isn’t ideal. But at the same time, he is just happy, he gets to play at all.
“When it started a year ago, we had some problems as someone was saying we would not be able to play anywhere and that they would block us from international tournaments.
"I am just playing, you know? I am just happy that they are giving me a chance to play. I am playing without a flag. It is not what I wanted, but it is what it is,” he said.
“I have been doing this (playing tennis) for 15 years, which is most of my life. We are professional athletes. We just go and play, with flag, without flag. We are just doing our jobs. I am just playing and that is it,” Kachmazov added.