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Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska has been awarded a wildcard that was initially given to Naomi Osaka. On Sunday, Camila Giorgi pulled out of the Indian Wells Masters. Following the withdrawal of Giorgi, Osaka moved into the Indian Wells main draw directly.
Since Osaka doesn't require a wildcard anymore, the organizers decided to redistrute the wildcard originally scheduled for Osaka to Yastremska.
Yastremska was in Ukraine when Russia launched their invasion. Yastremska had a pleasant Wednesday evening with her family but the following morning she was woken up by bombs.Due to the withdrawal of Camila Giorgi, Naomi Osaka has moved into the main draw via direct entry.@D_Yastremska has been awarded a main draw wild card into the 2022 BNP Paribas Open.
pic.twitter.com/mj2cVTTVX5 — BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 6, 2022
Yastremska fled Ukraine 10 days ago and went to France, where she played at a WTA event in Lyon. "On Wednesday, we were at home in Odessa. We were spending time with our family before making this long trip to Lyon with my father.
The evening was pleasant, but the next morning we were woken up by bombs. We didn't realise or understand what was going on. It was crazy. It wasn't a film or a video game -- we were very shocked," Yastremska said after arriving to Lyon.
Yastremska set for a third Indian Wells appearance
Yastremska debuted at the Indian Wells Masters in 2019, when she was beaten in the first round by Daria Saville. Last year, Yastremska clinched her first Indian Wells victory before losing to eventual champion Paula Badosa in the second round.
Yastremska will certainly receive a warm welcome in Indian Wells. Yastremska was received well by the French people in Lyon and she will certainly receive a warm reception in Indian Wells as well. "When I posted pictures on Instagram that I had left my home, I got a lot of messages from French people and people all over the world, and when I arrived here I didn't expect I would get that huge support.
Really, really thank you to everybody. I don't know what else to say," Yastremska said. It remains to be seen how far can Yastremska go in Lyon.