Wimbledon is in danger for many Russian and Belarusian tennis players on the ATP and WTA circuit, including Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Victoria Azarenka. Although the highest governing bodies in world tennis allow them to continue competing under a neutral flag, it is very likely that they will be required to publicly disassociate themselves from Vladimir Putin. There have been many tennis players who have shown a position in favor of peace, but at this moment the All England Tennis Club and the British government have on the table to demand a much clearer position of their opposition to the current Russian leader.
“This is a very important issue because many countries do not allow representatives of Russia to compete. However, in individual sports this is more complex,” said Nigel Huddleston, UK Minister for Culture and Sport. “Absolutely no one under the Russian flag should be able to compete. A lot of players have multiple nationalities and I’m sure they’re willing to compete with some of them or under a neutral flag, but we have to go further. We need to make sure they don’t support Putin and we’re looking at certain requirements,” Huddleston added.
If the measure is successful, many would be affected. Among the top 30 on the circuit there are several Russian tennis players who could miss the big date at Wimbledon if they do not openly oppose Vladimir Putin: the most notorious is Daniil Medvedev , who recently ranked first in the ATP ranking. But the Muscovite could be followed by other compatriots such as Andrey Rublev (7), Aslan Karatsev (22) and Karen Khachanov (26).
Also in the women’s circuit there are several Russian or Belarusian tennis players among the best rackets and who could be affected by this rule: Aryna Sabalenka , third in the world, and Victoria Azarenka (15), both Belarusians; and the Russians Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (14) and Veronika Kudermetova (24).
Under neutral flag
At this time, the ATP and the WTA are allowing Russian and Belarusian tennis players to continue participating in the different tournaments on the circuit, but they do so under a neutral flag. Both bodies have removed any reference to the flags of Russia or Belarus.
The measure arose as a result of the announcement by Elina Svitolina, a Ukrainian tennis player and number 15 in the world, who protested the absence of a firm position on the part of the WTA and the ATP as other sports organizations had done against the conflict in Ukraine . “I would like to announce that tomorrow I will not play in Monterrey and I will not play a single match against Russian and Belarusian tennis players,” he said when he was framed with the Russian tennis player Anastasia Potapova in the Mexican tournament.
Both the WTA and the ATP announced that Russian tennis players could continue playing but under a neutral flag. In addition, both organizations, as well as the four Grand Slams on the circuit, have launched a campaign to help Ukraine. The money supports Global Giving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, which will help immediately in the region, as well as the Ukrainian Tennis Federation.
