Wimbledon will ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing

There will be no Russian or Belarusian tennis players competing at Wimbledon this summer due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine

Russian players include men’s world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev and world No. 8 Andrey Rublev. On the women’s draw, world No. 15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will also be forced to sit out the grass court Grand Slam event.

Also, three of the women’s top 20 players are from Belarus, including Aryna Sabalenka, a Wimbledon semifinalist last year, and Victoria Azarenka, a two-time major winner.

“Given the profile of The Championships in the United Kingdom and around the world, it is our responsibility to play our part in the widespread efforts of Government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to limit Russia’s global influence through the strongest means possible,” the All England Club said in a statement. “In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with The Championships.

“It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to The Championships 2022.”

Wimbledon begins June 27 and ends on July 10.

Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to compete at the French Open next month in Paris, but they must compete as neutral athletes.