Djokovic blasts ‘crazy’ Wimbledon ban on Russian, Belarusian players

World number one Novak Djokovic said Wimbledon’s decision to boycott Russian and Belarusian players over Moscow’s intrusion of Ukraine is “crazy”.

Wimbledon announced on Wednesday that it had banished all Russian and Belarusian players from the current year’s titles because of the attack, which Russia calls a “special operation”.

The grasscourt Grand Slam is the first tennis competition to forbid individual contenders from the two nations, meaning men’s world number two Daniil Medvedev from Russia and women’s fourth-positioned Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will be prohibited from the June 27-July 10 competition.

Djokovic, who experienced childhood in war-torn Serbia, said the competitors didn’t have anything to do with the ongoing struggle.

“I will always condemn war, I will never support war being myself a child of war. I know how much emotional trauma it leaves. In Serbia we all know what happened in 1999. In the Balkans we have had many wars in recent history,” he said.

“However, I cannot support the decision of Wimbledon, I think it is crazy. When politics interferes with sport, the result is not good,” he added.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club’s decision has been condemned by the ATP and WTA visits.

The move is whenever players first have been prohibited on the grounds of ethnicity since the quick post-World War Two time when German and Japanese players were banned.

The AELTC said it would “consider and respond” in the event that conditions change among now and June.