Both ATP and WTA announced on Friday that they will not award ranking points for this year’s Wimbledon Championships as the grass-court Grand Slam decided to ban players from Russia and Belarus.
The ATP and WTA are the governing bodies of the men’s and women’s tours and had both criticised the decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from SW19 this year following the Ukraine war..
One month ago, the All England Club (AELTC) revealed their decision of declining entries from Russian and Belarusian players to the Wimbledon Championships 2022, which has been condemned by the world governing bodies for both the men’s and women’s professional tennis.
The ATP insisted in a statement on Friday that the ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to the tour. “The decision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the UK this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP Ranking system.”
The WTA also said that they decided not to award ranking points to this year’s Wimbledon “as a result of the AELTC’s position that it will not honour its obligation to use the WTA Rankings for entry into Wimbledon and proceed with a partial field not based on merit”.
The ITF, the International Tennis Federation, will also withdraw ranking points for Wimbledon Juniors and Wheelchair events.
“Tournament organisers are not permitted to unilaterally impose entry criteria inconsistent with the ITF’s published open entry criteria. Therefore, in accordance with its protocols, the ITF has the right to withdraw ranking points,” read a statement released by the ITF on Friday.
The AELTC said they were disappointed at the decisions taken by the ATP, WTA and ITF in removing ranking points for The Championships, but they would stand by the decision they have made.
This year’s Wimbledon is scheduled to run from June 27 to July 10. Players such as the men’s singles world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev from Russia and the women’s singles world No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus couldn’t compete on the grass courts in London this time.
Wimbledon organiser the All England Club said it was deeply disappointed by the “disproportionate” decision of the ATP and WTA.
It said that while it deeply regretted the impact on players, it stood by the ban, and that it had made the “only viable decision for Wimbledon as a globally renowned sporting event and British institution”.
