April 20, (THEWILL) – Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, world number 2 male tennis player, Daniil Medvedev and former world number 1 female player, Victoria Azarenka, are among those apparently set to be barred from competing in this year’s Wimbledon.
Indications are that players from Russia and Belarus, which has not only backed Vladimir Putin’s government, but allowed it access through its borders to invade Ukraine, will be barred from competing in the grand slam event.
Wimbledon, which starts in late June, would be the first tennis major to exclude players from such countries. Most events on the tour have allowed those players to compete in the past, but they have not been allowed to display their country flags on tournament graphics.
On March 1, Russians and Belarusians were prohibited from team tournaments such as the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup, and events in those countries were cancelled.
Speaking on the subject last month, Steve Simon, the WTA boss said: “I feel very strongly that again these individual athletes should not be the ones that are being penalised by the decisions of an authoritarian leadership that is obviously doing terrible, reprehensible things.
“But if that happens, which is again part of the overall strategy of making Russia and Russian citizens pay the consequence for the decision their government has made, then it won’t be something that we support.”
Daniil Medvedev, the Australian Open finalist who temporarily overtook Novak Djokovic for the number 1 ranking earlier this year, would be among those forbidden from competing, despite the fact that he is recovering from a hernia operation.
Andrey Rublev (world number 8), Karen Khachanov (number 25), and Aslan Karatsev (number 33) are three more Russians who might be seeded in the men’s event, while Belarus’ world number 44 Ilya Ivashka could also be affected.
Victoria Azarenka, the two-time Australian Open champion, world number 6 Aryna Sabalenka, and Belarus’s number 49 Aliaksandra Sasnovich would all be suspended.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (ranked 15th), Daria Kasatkina (23rd), Veronika Kudermetova (28th), and Ludmilla Samsonova (31st) are among the top 31 Russian women, along with number 44 Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
