Novak Djokovic slams Wimbledon ban on Russian, Belarusian gamers

Novak Djokovic has hit again at Wimbledon’s choice to ban Russian and Belarusian gamers over the invasion of Ukraine, describing the transfer as “loopy.”

Wimbledon introduced on Wednesday that it had barred all Russian and Belarusian players from this 12 months’s championships as a result of invasion.

The grass-court Grand Slam is the primary tennis match to ban particular person rivals from the 2 international locations, which means males’s world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev from Russia and ladies’s fourth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus shall be banned from the competitors.

Djokovic, who grew up in war-torn Serbia, mentioned the athletes had nothing to do with the continuing battle.

“I’ll at all times condemn struggle; I’ll by no means help struggle being myself a toddler of struggle,” Djokovic advised reporters after narrowly beating compatriot Laslo Dere on the Serbia Open on Wednesday.

“I understand how a lot emotional trauma it leaves. In Serbia everyone knows what occurred in 1999. Within the Balkans, we’ve got had many wars in latest historical past.

“Nevertheless, I can’t help the choice of Wimbledon, I feel it’s loopy.

“When politics interferes with sport, the end result will not be good.”

The All England Garden Tennis Membership’s choice has been criticized by the ATP and WTA excursions.

The transfer is the primary time gamers have been banned from the match on the grounds of nationality because the quick post-World Conflict II period, when German and Japanese gamers have been excluded.

The All England Membership mentioned it might “think about and reply accordingly” if circumstances change between now and June.

Ukrainian participant Elina Svitolina on Thursday expressed her opinion on Wimbledon’s choice.

“We do not need them banned fully,” Svitolina mentioned. “If gamers do not communicate out towards the Russian authorities then it’s the proper factor to ban them.

“We simply need them to talk up, if they’re with us and the remainder of the world or the Russian authorities. That is for me the principle level.

“In the event that they did not select, did not vote for this authorities, then it is honest they need to be allowed to play and compete.”