There was great excitement last year when the ATP and the WTA announced that the participants in Wimbledon would not receive any points for the corresponding world rankings. The reason for this was the exclusion of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Aryna Sabalenka and Co. from the traditional tournament on Church Road because Russia had invaded Ukraine. And according to the British authorities (as well as numerous sports associations), Belarus also supported this.

In the weeks before, players from Belarus and Russia were not allowed to play in Great Britain either, but there were alternatives to tournaments on the continent. ATP boss Andrea Gaudenzi is still of the opinion that the procedure at the time was the right one, as the Italian now emphasized again in an interview with El Globo.

Rublev with "important message"

"I would like to reiterate that we condemn war now and forever," Gaudenzi said. "I know something like this should go without saying, but it's important that we spread this message loud and clear again. And as ATP, we are in line under the leadership of the IOC. Our players (from Russia and Belarus, ed . d. red.) cannot play under their flag and in team competitions, like in no other sport."

But Andrea Gaudenzi doesn't believe in a general ban. "We don't believe in collective guilt. They've played tennis all their lives. We believe that for fairness alone they must have the chance to play." But players are also allowed to voice their opinions, as Andrey Rublev did with his message "Peace, not war" on multiple camera lenses. "I think that was an important message."