London: Wimbledon has decided to ‘sanction’ tennis players from Russia and Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine.
Players from the two countries won’t be allowed to play in this year’s grasscourt Grand Slam championship, which many consider to be the biggest event in the annual tennis calendar.
The ban will affect several prominent players. Among those who will miss the tournament hosted by All England Club are reigning US Open champion and men’s world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, men’s world No. 8 Andrey Rublev, women’s world No. 4 and 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist Aryna Sabalenka, who was a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2021, former women’s No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, French Open runner-up last year.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, aided by Belarus.
Though Russian and Belarussian athletes have been banned from competing in many sports because of the invasion, tennis had thus far been lenient on them as long as they didn’t play under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus.
Wimbledon has changed that trend, sending the ‘no entry’ signal to players from the two countries.
The French Open, which will be held before Wimbledon, is expected to allow Russian and Belarussian players to compete.
