When Victoria Azarenka walked into Court 15 on Monday morning for her first Wimbledon match in two years, she was greeted by polite clapping. Know more:
— and, in a sort of half-measure adopted by some other sports, are deemed “neutral” athletes who officially do not represent any nation.
While other players have flags to the left of their names on the oversized, manually-operated brackets on the outside wall of Centre Court, the Russians and Belarusians do not. Nor are the countries noted on official schedules or results issued by the All England Club, nor as part of graphics on TV broadcasts of matches. The Club did not allow Wimbledon to be aired on television in Russia or Belarus.
“It was a difficult decision, as we said when we made it earlier in the year,” All England Club CEO Sally Bolton said Monday about the reversal in policy. “We took a lot of time to think carefully about the decision we made and the impact that would have in the same way as we did last year. We think it’s the right decision for The Championships this year.”
If there were questions about how Russians and Belarusians might be received upon their return, the earliest indications on Day 1 were that there was nothing out of the ordinary.“Just like I never left, honestly. It feels good to be playing here,” Azarenka said after beating Yuan 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. “For me, personally, I experienced very good treatment. … Today, to hear people say, ‘Let’s go, Vika!’ and cheering me on was also why I play, to play in front of the crowd, to put on a good show.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Wimbledon to celebrate Federer career on Centre CourtWimbledon will celebrate Roger Federer's achievements at the All England Club with a special ceremony on Centre Court on the second day of the championships on Tuesday, July 4. | ManilaBulletin
Read more »
Novak Djokovic uses his towel at Wimbledon to help dry the Centre Court grass after a rain delay | The Associated PressWIMBLEDON, England—Anxious to get on with the match, Novak Djokovic literally took matters into his own hands on the wet Wimbledon grass by using his towel and some elbow grease to help dry the surface. Djokovic, who has won the Wimbledon title seven times, was playing in the opening match…
Read more »
Nick Kyrgios withdraws on eve of Wimbledon with a wrist injury | The Associated PressWIMBLEDON, England—Nick Kyrgios pulled out of Wimbledon the night before the tournament's start, citing a wrist injury, a year after he reached his first Grand Slam final at the All England Club. His withdrawal was announced by Wimbledon on Sunday night and Kyrgios wrote about it on social media. He…
Read more »
Kyrgios pulls out of Wimbledon due to wrist injuryAustralia's Nick Kyrgios will miss the Wimbledon Open after finishing runner-up to Serbia's Novak Djokovic last year.
Read more »
Djokovic, Swiatek shine in the rain as Wimbledon gets rollingNovak Djokovic picks up a dominant win to open his bid for a record-extending 24th Grand Slam, while Iga Swiatek kicks off her quest for a maiden Wimbledon title in style.
Read more »
Novak Djokovic’s bid for Wimbledon title No. 8 and Grand Slam trophy No. 24 starts on Monday | The Associated PressWIMBLEDON, England—Listen to Novak Djokovic’s opponents explain why he is as successful as he is — why he will begin his pursuit of a fifth consecutive and eighth overall Wimbledon championship on Monday; why he also will be attempting to claim an Open era-record 24th Grand Slam trophy over the coming fortnight on the All England…
Read more »