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No world ranking points in Wimbledon: "Russia crisis" in tennis worsens

No world ranking points will be awarded at the Wimbledon Grand Slam tournament this year. The professional organization ATP reacted to the ban on Russian and Belarusian professionals - shortly afterwards the WTA followed suit.

by SID / tennisnet
last edit: May 21, 2022, 08:27 am

Daniil Medvedev faced Marin Cilic in the third round of Wimbledon
© Getty Images
Daniel Medvedev

The most famous tournament is dividing the tennis world, the attitude of Wimbledon on the Russia question has prompted the professional organizations to take an unprecedented step: Because the guardians over the sacred lawn because of the Russian attack on Ukraine at the Grand Slam players starting on June 27th and players from Russia and Belarus have excluded, ATP and WTA are deleting the world ranking points from the tournament - and thus only strengthened Wimbledon in its attitude.

"We are still not prepared to accept that successes or participation in Wimbledon are used by the Russian regime's propaganda machine," said a prompt reaction from Church Road. One was "deeply disappointed" with the actions of ATP/WTA: "It is disproportionate and harms all players who take part in the tour."

Tournaments and professional associations are miles apart, ATP and WTA see going it alone in England as a violation of basic player rights, but also as an attack on their own decision-making authority.

ATP wants to prevent precedent

"The opportunity for players of any nationality to participate in tournaments based on their performance and without discrimination is fundamental to our tour," said a statement released by the men's organization ATP on Friday evening: "The decision of Wimbledon, Russia and Banning Belarusian players from participating this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP ranking system."

The ATP also wants to prevent a precedent according to which individual tournaments are allowed to discriminate against certain players through their own decisions. "This is not feasible on a tour that takes place in more than 30 countries," it said. A little later, the women's association WTA joined this "difficult decision".

WTA joins decision of ATP

"The WTA believes that individuals participating in an individual sport should not be penalized and banned from competing because of their nationality for decisions made by their countries' governments," said WTA Chairman Steve Simon Lawn Tennis Club and the Lawn Tennis Association violate this fundamental principle, which is clearly enshrined in the rules of the WTA and the Grand Slams and in the agreement between the WTA and the Grand Slams."

The only Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon organized by a private organization (the national associations are responsible for the other three) had stipulated in April that players from Russia and Belarus would not be allowed to play from June 27 to June 27 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine 10 July to take part in the most famous tournament in the world. This affects, among others, Russia's top star Daniil Medvedev.

The measure went well beyond the course of the players' unions ATP and WTA - at their tournaments the relevant professionals are admitted under a neutral flag.

This had caused powerful disagreements among the pros. Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic called the decision "crazy", after all this war was "not the players' fault". The Ukrainian top players Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk, on the other hand, demanded that all other tournaments should follow the ban.

by SID / tennisnet

Saturday
May 21, 2022, 09:25 am
last edit: May 21, 2022, 08:27 am