LONDON, Jan 1 — Wimbledon’s decision to ban Belarusian players from last year’s tournament “changed nothing”, world number five Aryna Sabalenka said today as she hoped to...
LONDON, Jan 1 — Wimbledon’s decision to ban Belarusian players from last year’s tournament “changed nothing”, world number five Aryna Sabalenka said today as she hoped to return to the grasscourt Grand Slam in 2023 having missed its fans and atmosphere.
Players from the two countries were blocked from competing in British grasscourt events in the build-up to the major and Sabalenka—who is playing in Adelaide this week before the Australian Open—said politics and sport should not mix. “I’m just really disappointed sport is somehow in politics. We’re just athletes playing their sport. That’s it. We’re not about politics. If all of us could do something, we would, but we have zero control.
Sabalenka said she was “super disappointed” with Wimbledon’s decision and that she trained in Miami when the Grand Slam took place in June and July.