Wimbledon was one tennis tournament that did not allow Russians and Belarusians to compete. The British are reconsidering such a ban, but the tennis authorities are threatening to take away the rights to tournaments at Eastbourne and Queen’s Club. “The situation is serious,” say activists.
The “Daily Mail” reports that the tennis authorities have found a new way to force the organizers of Wimbledon to admit Russian and Belarusian tennis players this year. The ATP and WTA threaten the British Tennis Federation (LTA) to withdraw the rights to organize tournaments at Eastbourne and Queen’s Club.
Ban or no ban?
On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Wimbledon authorities and LTA activists are considering extending the decision to ban the participation of Russians and Belarusians. Tennis players from these countries were not allowed to the last edition of Wimbledon. The exclusion concerned e.g. former leader of the ATP ranking Danil Medvedev, seventh in the world Andrei Rublev, current vice-leader of the ranking Aryna Sabalenka or former world number one Victoria Azarenka.
“There are growing indications that a turnaround will have to be made unless the British government intervenes by denying visas to players from Russia and Belarus,” the Daily Mail reported.
Threat of losing important tournaments
The WTA 500 women’s tournament and the ATP 250 men’s tournament have been held in Eastbourne for years. Both events will take place this year on June 26 – July 2. A day later, Wimbledon Grand Slam starts.
In turn, Queen’s Club organized in London is a prestigious ATP 500 tournament. This season it is scheduled for June 19-26. Along with the German event in Halle, it is the main stop for the top men’s tennis as they prepare for Wimbledon. Queen’s Club won in recent years, among others Matteo Berrettini (Wimbledon 2021 finalist), Andy Murray (Wimbledon champion 2013 and 2016), Rafael Nadal (Wimbledon champion 2008 and 2010) Andy Roddick (Wimbledon champion 2004, 2005 and 2010) and Lleyton Hewitt (Wimbledon champion 2002).
The daily reports that the tennis authorities are threatening the British to revoke the license for these tournaments. Then they would be put up for sale, and interested entities from other countries could purchase the rights to organize events on those dates within the ATP and WTA calendars. Probably – due to the moment of the season – they would still be tournaments taking place on a grass surface.
The change of license owner could lead to the fact that in the period between Roland Garros and Wimbledon, no men’s event of the ATP main series would take place in the UK before the Grand Slam tournament in London. Only the tournaments in Nottingham and Birmingham would remain in the WTA calendar – with a lower WTA 250 rank. Most grass court tournaments, preparing for grass Wimbledon, would be organized outside Great Britain.
Blow in British tennis
“It would destroy our national system ahead of Wimbledon and would dramatically reduce the accessibility of tennis for British fans who want to watch Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu in action. Additionally, if the ban is upheld, Wimbledon authorities are set to receive further fines as the ATP and WTA stick to principle that tennis players should not be punished for the sins of governments.
“The situation is serious,” one LTA official said on condition of anonymity. British tennis wants to talk with the government to possibly introduce the aforementioned refusal to issue visas to Russians and Belarusians. This would remove liability from the LTA and could protect against further penalties from the WTA and ATP.
Concerns also arise when the ATP wants to create a new major Masters 1000 tennis event on grass. At least two British consortiums are interested in buying the rights – with the potential to build a new facility south of London.
In the top 20 of the women’s WTA ranking, there are a total of six tennis players from Russia and Belarus (in the top 100 – 12), and in the men’s three (in the top 100 – six). The tennis authorities claim that by doing so they are defending the rights of these tennis players. If the British do not give in, a real bomb could be dropped on their tennis.
A year ago, after the Russians and Belarusians were not allowed in, Wimbledon was fined, and the tennis players who played in the previous edition of the tournament did not receive points for their performances.
