The reason for this is the exclusion of players from Russia and Belarus. The third major of the year is scheduled for June 27th to July 10th.
In justifying its decision, the organization in men’s tennis pointed out the fundamental principle that “all players without discrimination and solely on the basis of their merits” are entitled to play in their tournaments. With its arbitrary decision, Wimbledon set a dangerous precedent. One therefore sees oneself “with great regret” forced to withdraw the ranking points from the Wimbledon tournament in 2022.
In tennis, Russians and Belarusians are still allowed to compete under a neutral flag. However, Wimbledon had decided to ban players from these two nations because of the Russian war in Ukraine. While the ATP decided for the men and the WTA for the women, the ITF is responsible for the junior and wheelchair competitions.
Djokovic as a sufferer
At the end of this year’s tournament, the points won in the previous year are not counted without replacement. One of the victims is defending champion Novak Djokovic. The Serb loses 2,000 points that he cannot replace – even if he wins again. The other ATP and WTA tournaments in Great Britain, which also excluded Russian and Belarusian athletes, keep their ranking points. The reason given is that there are alternatives in other countries, while Wimbledon has no competition in its weeks.
Herwig Straka, tournament director of the Erste Bank Open, gave an idea of the ATP decision at a media event in Vienna on Wednesday: “We condemn the fact that players are not allowed. It is one of our principles that everyone should have the right to participate to score points,” said Straka. The decision is a clear signal. “The players don’t play for the country, they play for themselves.” Straka is a member of the ATP Board of Directors.
Source: Nachrichten
