World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka squared off against Amanda Anisimova for a place in her first Wimbledon final. As the duo slugged it out on the tennis court, the attention of fans was drawn to American Animova‘s nationality popping up on the scorebug, while the area next to Sabalenka’s nationality was blank.
Ever since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian players have competed as neutrals without their flags or country displayed. However, Anisimova’s nationality raised eyebrows as Wimbledon had not added country names to the scorebug in previous matches.
How Fans Have Reacted to ‘Nationality’ Controversy on Wimbledon SF Day
A user on X said he found it “strange” that Anisimova’s nationality showed in the television scorecard, as the nations of the players weren’t previously mentioned in previous matches.
“It’s strange that everyone in the previous game didn’t have to mark their nationality,” the fan wrote.
It’s strange that everyone in the previous game didn’t have to mark their nationality.
— 程雷 (@chenglei1995) July 10, 2025
Ben Rothenberg, a noted tennis journalist, who had previously written about “scorebug oddities” in the early rounds of Wimbledon, noted that the major began adding country codes “suddenly on semifinal day.”
I wrote about #Wimbledon scorebug oddities early in the tournament.
Suddenly on semifinal day, they’ve begun adding country codes. pic.twitter.com/inHMJvOh4Z
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 10, 2025
“I don’t like the sudden country code there,” read a reaction to Rothenburg’s post on X. “I also don’t understand why there is any need to add a country code to the score bug at the semi finals stage of the tournament?,” added another fan.
I don’t like the sudden country code there. I also don’t understand why there is any need to add a country code to the score bug at the semi finals stage of the tournament?
— Lachlan Hall (@lhall98) July 10, 2025
“Is there any reason why they’re showing Anisimova’s country in the scoreboard when they haven’t been doing this all tournament?,” asked another tennis fan. “See the Novak (Djokovic) demon (Alex de Minaur) game where it didn’t have it…. strange.”
Another fan suggested that the change was made to make it clear “it’s not two Russians in their (Wimbledon’s) semis.”
Making it clear it’s not two Russians in their semis
— Jan (@chipNJan) July 10, 2025
Despite representing the U.S., Anisimova has Russian roots. Her parents, Olga Anisimova and Konstantin Anisimov, emigrated from Russia to the United States a few years before she was born.
Another fan wrote, “Players names always sufficed. Why discriminate in favour of or against a player or a country? Tennis has been corrupted by political motives.”
Players names always sufficed. Why discriminate in favour of or against a player or a country?
Tennis has been corrupted by political motives.
— ecojag (@ecojag) July 10, 2025
“Is there any reason why they’re showing Anisimova’s country in the scoreboard when they haven’t been doing this all tournament??? See the Novak demon game where it didn’t have it…. strange.”
Is there any reason why they’re showing Anisimova’s country in the scoreboard when they haven’t been doing this all tournament??? See the Novak demon game where it didn’t have it…. strange pic.twitter.com/YeiltSGY05
— liv (@kokinakkis2) July 10, 2025
“Yeah I’m watching this match and I was watching another doubles match yesterday and it didn’t have their countries,” wrote another confused fan. “Wonder why they started doing it in the middle of the tourney.”
yeah im watching this match and i was watching another doubles match yesterday and it didn’t have their countries Wonder why they started doing it in the middle of the tourney….. pic.twitter.com/TF0Xpt79em
— dassi ❤︎ (@bublikism) July 10, 2025
When Wimbledon Banned Russian and Belarusian Athletes From the Tournament in 2022
In 2022, months after Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine, Wimbledon decided to ban athletes from Russia and Belarus, a key ally of Moscow, from the championships.
The ATP and the WTA, despite continuing to condemn the invasion, opposed the ban as discriminatory. On 20 May 2022, the ITF, the ATP, and the WTA made an unprecedented announcement, saying that they would not award ITF ranking points for results at Wimbledon because of the ban.
The following year, athletes from Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete as “neutrals.”
