Ever notice something odd on the ESPN scorebug during the US Open? Some players have a flag next to their names. Others, like Andrey Rublev, don’t. Viewers saw it and got confused. In a tournament with everything from high drama on court to hated fan moments like the video of an adult grabbing a souvenir hat from a kid, the flag question has become its own side conversation.

The answer takes us back to 2022, when the US. Open made a call that still shapes every match involving Russian or Belarusian players. After Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States Tennis Association joined the other Grand Slams and governing bodies in a joint stance.

They condemned the attack and made one clear rule: Athletes from Russia and Belarus could play, but not under their national flags.

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