The Russia-Ukraine war has its own impact on the tennis world. The players from Russia and Belarus were banned from playing at Wimbledon a year ago due to the intense tensions from the war. The players were not happy with the decision, and this time they entered the Wimbledon event after signing a neutrality agreement.
Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev have often spoken about the war during their press conferences. Rublev had also written about peace on the camera screen after winning the semifinal in Dubai last November. This year, the Ukraine tennis federation was not happy that the Wimbledon ban could not be continued and said that the ATP and WTA should take steps to support Ukrainian players.
Watching “woke”@Wimbledon where they can’t display where a player is from or display his Country’s flag when you’re from Russia. Last year the players weren’t allowed to compete. #Wimbledon #Woke pic.twitter.com/KubmorCFKM
— Joe Monts (@joemo23) July 9, 2023
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka began her after-match conference a few days back by telling reporters: “Before we continue I would like to say I’m not going to talk about politics. I’m here to talk about tennis only.” Elina Svitolina was worried about the situation, “When I wake up, I always check the news,” she explained. “Every moment that I’m not on the court I’m checking how my family is doing, how the situation is in Ukraine.”
War-straining relationships between players at Wimbledon 2023
To a reporter who asked what Wimbledon means to Russian culture, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka fired back: “You do know I’m not from Russia, right?” via CNN. Russian Veronika Kudermetova’s after-match press conference saw a moderator informing a reporter who had questioned about relationships with Ukrainian players in the locker room to “Move it on to tennis, if it’s okay.“
There have been tensions between the Ukrainian and Russian players on tour. Earlier in the French Open, Ukrainian player Martya Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka, who invited booes from the crowd. Sabalenka said she understood why players were not shaking hands with her. The players may face more trouble if more drastic steps are taken in the war.
The war has affected athletes with international bans and restrictions. They will hope that the situation de-escalates, which will in turn help them compete without restrictions. The future of Russian and Belarusian players remains unclear, as political instability can ruin the careers of many promising talents. The restrictions will remain for now, as the players can still play and continue with the tour.