Smy Tennis News|Lesia Tsurenko Accuses Unnamed Tennis Executive of Mental Abuse, Criticizes WTA for Inaction

In a powerful social media post, Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko alleges ongoing “mental abuse” from a tennis executive and claims the WTA refused to act on her complaints. Tsurenko revealed that she is now pursuing legal action to defend her rights and dignity.

Lesia Tsurenko Accuses Unnamed Tennis Executive of Mental Abuse, Criticizes WTA for Inaction

April 16, 2025 — Ukrainian tennis veteran Lesia Tsurenko has made serious allegations of “mental abuse” against an unnamed tennis executive, stating that the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) failed to offer her protection or justice after repeated attempts to report the misconduct.

In a post shared on social media platform X, the 35-year-old described a prolonged period of psychological distress caused by the unnamed individual and expressed deep disappointment with the WTA’s response.

“I spoke about it openly and directly. I tried to seek protection and justice within the WTA,” Tsurenko wrote. “But in response, faced indifference and injustice, which led to a prolonged moral decline.”

Tsurenko, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 23 following a quarter-final appearance at the 2018 US Open, described a disturbing list of experiences, including:

• Panic attacks

• Fear and humiliation

• Withheld information

• Harassment targeting her team

• Psychological pressure intended to silence her

“Pain, fear, panic attacks, humiliation, withholding information, harassment of my team to silence me... and this isn't even the full list of what I've had to endure,” she continued. “The WTA tour refused to protect a woman, a player, a human being. Instead, the WTA chose to protect a person in a leadership position.”

Tsurenko stated that after exhausting internal channels, she has now turned to the legal system to seek justice.

“My last chance to defend myself, to stand up for my rights, my dignity, and to prevent such acts of violence in sports is to seek justice in court,” she said. “This is the path I’ve been on since the end of last year. I pray that no one will ever experience what I’m going through.”

Sky Sports News has reported that it contacted the WTA for comment on the allegations, though no official response had been issued at the time of publication.

The tennis world is now watching closely as Tsurenko’s legal process unfolds — a case that could have wide-ranging implications for governance and player protection within the sport.