Wimbledon has excluded the Russians and Belarusians from the 2022 edition of the grass-court Major due to the war in Ukraine, becoming the first tennis tournament to exclude these players individually.
Daniil Medvedev, noh2 in the world, Andrey Rublev (8and), Aryna Sabalenka (4and and semi-finalist last year), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15and) and Viktoria Azarenka (ex-noh 1, today 18and) will therefore not be able to defend their chances in London.
“Under the circumstances of unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefit from the participation of Russian or Belarusian players,” the tournament said in a statement.
This decision could be reviewed if “circumstances change radically by June”, adds the text.
“We recognize that this decision is hard on those individually affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer from the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime,” added Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Club, which hosts the event. .
“Once again, they are holding athletes hostage to political prejudices and political intrigues. […] This is unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said even before the tournament was officially announced.
Following the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from many competitions in athletics, figure skating, as well as the Beijing Paralympic Games, soccer and swimming World Cups, etc.
In tennis, tournaments in Russia and Belarus have been canceled, while the two nations have been excluded from team competitions (Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, both won by Russia last year). But individually and under a neutral banner, players from these two countries are currently authorized to play ATP and WTA tournaments.
However, the four Grand Slam tournaments, namely Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the Australian and United States Open, are independent of the men’s and women’s circuits.
Two months of talks
To date, the French Federation (FFT), which organizes Roland-Garros (from May 22 to June 5), and the American one (USTA), which organizes the United States Open (from August 29 to September 11), did not plan to exclude Russian and Belarusian players.
Affected players have been muted in their condemnation of the conflict, although Russian Andrey Rublev wrote “No war please” on a TV camera during a competition in Dubai shortly after the invasion.
“I want peace all over the world,” said Medvedev, recovering from an operation.
Belarusian Azarenka, old noh1 in the world and crowned twice at the Australian Open, was more explicit. “It is heartbreaking to see how many innocent people have been and continue to be affected by this violence,” the 32-year-old said in March.
“Do you support the invasion?” »
“I have always seen and experienced Ukrainians and Belarusians as friendly people and supportive of each other. It is difficult to witness the violent separation that is currently taking place,” said Viktoria Azarenka.
These declarations are considered insufficient by Ukrainian players, including Elina Svitolina (ex-noh 5), which ask the ATP and WTA to exclude Russians and Belarusians if they do not correctly answer three questions set out in a press release: “Do you support the invasion […] ? Do you support military activities […] ? Do you support the Putin and Lukashenko regimes? »
“Depending on the responses, we demand the exclusion and banishment of Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international competition, as Wimbledon did”, continues this text posted on social networks on Wednesday.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which oversees the main preparation tournaments for Wimbledon, has decided to align itself with the measure taken by the Major and not to welcome any Russians or Belarusians to Queen’s or Eastbourne in particular.
A decision hailed by Wimbledon for its “consistency”.