London (AP) – Serbian top star Novak Djokovic calls it “crazy”. The WTA, ATP and Martina Navratilova do not find the sanction fair. Going it alone at Wimbledon with the blanket exclusion of Russian and Belarusian tennis professionals has triggered heavy criticism and plenty of discussion.
Title candidates such as US Open winner Daniil Medvedev and fourth in the world rankings Aryna Sabalenka will have to stay away from the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world this summer.
For the organizers, this is a necessary consequence of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It is a decision for a more comprehensive exclusion of players, which has not existed in tennis in recent decades, at least for political reasons.
“We don’t want to exclude them completely,” Ukraine’s top player Yelena Svitolina told the BBC. “If players don’t speak out against the Russian government, then expelling them is the right thing to do.” Like other Ukrainian players, the paused 27-year-old had previously called on the organizations WTA and ATP to ask the Russian and Belarusian players to position themselves clearly.
Athletes in general have nothing to do with the war, said Serbian world number one Djokovic. “If politics interferes with sport, the result is not good,” said the six-time Wimbledon champion. In view of the wars in the Balkans, the 34-year-old recalled that he himself was a war child. Djokovic emphasized that he was the first to condemn wars, also with a view to the suffering of the civilian population in wars.
Navratilova: tennis a “democratic sport”
Tennis icon Navratilova also feels for the Ukrainian population and the athletes, but thinks the exclusion from the traditional Grand Slam tournament from June 27th to July 10th is wrong. “Tennis is such a democratic sport. It’s difficult when you see politics destroying it.” The war is terrible. However, the exclusion goes beyond what is necessary.
Wimbledon takes a step that exceeds other measures in tennis. The world association ITF had removed Russia and Belarus from the list of participants for the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup team competitions because of the Russian attack on Ukraine. But Wimbledon is the first tournament to exclude singles and doubles players because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russians and Belarusians continue to play on the ATP and WTA tour – just not under their national flag. Even at the currently ongoing indoor clay court tournament in Stuttgart, for example, the draw and the game plan do not contain the origin of the Belarusian Wimbledon semi-finalist Sabalenka. The next Grand Slam tournament is the French Open in Paris, which begins at the end of May.
WTA and ATP are examining possible measures
The professional organizations WTA and ATP also reacted with criticism on Wednesday evening after the organizers of the lawn classic had officially confirmed previous media reports on the exclusion. The ATP said it was “unfair” to discriminate against players because of their nationality and the decision had “potential to set a damaging precedent”.
The WTA will examine steps and possible measures against this decision, according to a statement from the women’s organization. “The WTA has repeatedly emphasized that individual athletes should not be penalized or prevented from participating because of their origin or because of decisions made by the governments of their countries.”
Wimbledon organizers conceded it was hard for those affected to suffer at the hands of the Russian leadership. It is one of the tournament’s responsibility to limit Russia’s global influence by whatever means possible, they justified their step. In view of the war, it would be unacceptable that the Russian regime could take advantage of the performances of tennis professionals at Wimbledon.