Two-times  Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova stated she opposed the All England Club’s choice to permit Russian and Belarusian gamers to compete at this yr’s event. Wimbledon final yr  banned gamers from Russia and Moscow-allied Belarus after the invasion of Ukraine and the Lawn Tennis Association additionally barred gamers from different occasions within the United Kingdom. However, opponents from the 2 international locations will have the ability to enter the Grand Slam in July in the event that they compete as “neutral” athletes and adjust to sure situations.”First of all, for sure I’m always staying against the war. For sure, I’m just more worried about the Ukrainian people and players,” Kvitova informed reporters after profitable her Miami Open semi-final towards Sorana Cirstea.

“I appreciate that Wimbledon had a tough time last year not giving the points (after) the Russian and Russian didn’t play.

“I feel they should not be allowed really. In my opinion, (n)both to the Olympics. So I’m just a bit bit on the Ukrainian aspect of this,” she said.

Kvitova said she was particularly concerned about Russian and Belarusian involvement in the Olympic Games.

“Not within the Olympics for certain, as a result of I really feel the Olympic Games are as a result of we do not need warfare on this planet. So that is my concern. I’m actually appreciating that Wimbledon did not take them final yr,” she said.

Kvitova said that she and other players had not been consulted about the Wimbledon decision and the issue had not been discussed in the locker-room.

The All England Club, which runs Wimbledon, said the decision was made after talks with the UK government, Britain’s governing Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and international tennis bodies.

The men’s ATP tour and women’s WTA tour — who denied world ranking points for Wimbledon last year because of the ban on Russian and Belarusian players — welcomed the Wimbledon decision but Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba condemned the move as “immoral”.

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