Related news
Wimbledon He decided to break the unanimity of the sports world by vetoing all Russian or Belarusian tennis players. A sanction that has generated an earthquake in both circuits and that other major tournaments are not supporting. The London Open is facing both criticism and boycotts, but so far they haven’t budged from their position one iota. Meanwhile, stars like Djokovic, Azarenka o Jabeur They mobilize from Madrid to change that position.
The Mutua Madrid Open has managed to bring together the main rackets of the ATP y WTA. But the press conferences are becoming more of a lectern on which to comment on Wimbledon than a space to analyze the clay court tournament. After the first days of competition, players like Azarenka and Ons Jabeur have spoken out strongly rejecting Wimbledon’s position.
A few words that add to the refusals of ATP and WTA, and especially that of Novak Djokovic. The Serbian tennis player was among the first to break his silence to criticize Wimbledon’s position. The number one in the world, away from the spotlight after his deportation from Australia at the beginning of the year, recognized that condemning the invasion of Ukraine did not have to mean the expulsion of neutral tennis players.
Statement regarding Russian and Belarusian individuals at The Championships 2022.
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) April 20, 2022
Thus, a few months before the start of the great grass tournament of the season, criticism of the organization is increasing. The Mutua Madrid Open continues with its planning, but while the tournament is taking place on the track, inside the facilities they begin to ask for boycotts of Wimbledon due to its political maneuver.
Azarenka calls for a boycott
The Belarusian tennis player is one of those directly affected by the Wimbledon veto. For this reason, she has used her participation in the Mutua Madrid Open to denounce the situation. The veteran player, currently 17 del ranking WTA, has even had telephone conversations with the Wimbledon management to find out his reasons. However, in the talks that have taken place these days, he has not found a coherent explanation for the veto suffered.
“I will never support war. I will never support violence”, Azarenka has pointed out in the last hours. But, at the same time, he has made it clear that he does not understand Wimbledon. “If you ask me if I agree with Wimbledon or understand your reasoning after a personal call with them, no, I don’t see it,” he criticized the media from Madrid.
Moreover, the Belarusian has stepped forward to be the first to call for a boycott. “there should be a reaction“, He has claimed to the WTA after learning that the circuit management is not in favor of the vetoes made by Wimbledon either. Azarenka, who has passed her first match in Madrid, has already started that offensive against the London tournament.
Something similar happens with Ons Jabeur. The Tunisian tennis player, number 10 in the world while she participates in Madrid, has also asked not to “mix politics and sport” because “what is happening in the world is very sad.” To show her rejection of the Wimbledon decision, she has asked to look at other territories: “What about the other countries where people and children have been dying?”
Djokovic, the first
The words of Azarenka and Jabeur come days after the statements of Novak Djokovic, who also dared to question the Wimbledon decision. The Serbian, who did not know if he was going to be able to participate as he was not vaccinated, will have a free hand to be able to step on the London grass. Something that Belarusians and Russians will not be able to do due to the decision of the directive.
“I will always condemn war. I know, as a child of war, how many emotional traumas it leaves, and that the people are the ones who suffer the most. In the Balkans we had many wars in recent history,” Djokovic wanted to contextualize. “However, I cannot support the Wimbledon decision because the players have nothing to do with that”, denounced the number one in the world.
If to all this is added that names like Medvedev or Rublev will not be able to participate, and rumors of a possible boycott of the grass tournament, the scenario that is predicted is anything but calm. The revolt against London and Wimbledon can begin in Madrid, which from the beginning left total freedom to the participants: from Russians and Belarusians (always as neutrals) to the unvaccinated.
[Más información – Kasparov ataca a Djokovic por su apoyo a los rusos vetados en Wimbledon: “Que lo haga un serbio…”]
