Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, world number five, said on Sunday that the ban on Russian and Belarusian players at Wimbledon achieved “nothing” and that she hopes it will change in 2023.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the governing body for the sport in the United Kingdom, received pressure from the government to impose such a ban.
Russian and Belarusian players, including Sabalenka, were banned from Wimbledon, to which the ATP and WTA responded by removing the Grand Slam points from their rankings.
“I am just very disappointed that the sport is somehow doing politics. We are just athletes practicing their sport. We are not for politics, ”said the tennis player to the Melbourne Age newspaper, within the framework of the Adelaide tournament.
“If all of us could do something, we would, but we have no control,” he defended.
“We got banned from Wimbledon and what has changed? Nothing. They keep doing this (the war) and this is the sad thing about the situation,” she added.
The LTA has yet to announce whether to uphold the ban in 2023.
Sabalenka said “nobody supports the war” and that she wishes she could compete in London this year. “I really hope that I will play there (in 2023), just for the crowd, to feel the atmosphere,” he said.
Other players banned from Wimbledon last year included Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Victoria Azarenka.
Medvedev admitted this Sunday that he would have preferred to compete in the United Cup, with mixed teams, than in the Adelaide tournament. However, he assured that he understood the situation and that he intended to make the most of this event that marks the start of the ATP and WTA season.
“I fully understand why we don’t play the Davis Cup or the United Cup and team competitions in which we would represent our country,” he said.
“I play what I can play, so here I can play in Adelaide, and I’m very happy about it. I want to show my best tennis,” declared the 26-year-old. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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