We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis.”The flag was seen during the first-round match between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova in Melbourne.In light of the war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian tennis players have been permitted to play at the Australian Open but must do so “without flags or country recognition.”“I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today,” Vasyl Myroshnychenko wrote on Twitter on Monday, alongside a photo showing the flag on display.An agency photo also shows the Russian flag on display in the stands during the first-round match between Daniil Medvedev and USA’s Marcos Giron.The ATP and WTA Tours, the governing bodies of men’s and women’s tennis, later responded by stripping Wimbledon of ranking points in the face of what they deemed “discrimination” towards Russian and Belarusian players.After her first-round victory at the Australian Open, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk said she will not shake hands with rivals from Russia and Belarus, who she feels have not done enough to speak out against the invasion."