Tsurenko, the current world number 46, has also called for a clarification of the "neutral athlete" status under which Russian and Belarusian players are permitted to play on the men’s and women’s tours.

Tsurenko’s comments came after she was beaten today in three sets by Veronika Kudermetova, a Russian player competing as a neutral at the WTA China Open in Beijing.

"As for the use of flags, the popularisation of players, pages on social networks, everything was discussed more than once," Tsurenko said, as reported by TASS, Russia’s official state news agency.

"Unfortunately, in most cases they don’t hear us, they don’t want to hear us, this is very surprising to me.

"Especially when it comes to flags, because there were a lot of such situations.

"They really couldn’t completely remove the flags, because they were at tournaments and at the draw ceremonies. What can I say? This is the WTA, this explains everything."

Tsurenko also commented about Russian and Belarusian athletes competing as neutrals saying: "It would be good if they clarified the features of this status in which the so-called neutral athletes are, what is implied."

Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to compete as individual neutral athletes on both the WTA and Association of Tennis Professionals tours throughout the war in Ukraine.

Tsurenko has been critical of this position before, and prior to this year’s French Open claimed she had a "panic attack" after speaking to WTA chief executive Steve Simon who reportedly told her she should not get upset if some of her peers supported the war.

She went on to accuse the WTA and International Olympic Committee of "only looking at sports from a perspective of Russian and Belarusian human rights and ignore the violations of the Ukrainians rights."

insidethegames has contacted the WTA for a response to Tsurenko’s comments about flags and neutral athlete status.