Former US world number 1 Billie Jean King believes Russian and Belarusian tennis players should be able to play at Wimbledon in 2023.
Earlier it became known that Wimbledon organizers are considering the possibility of allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the tournament in 2023.
– In the coming weeks, Wimbledon organizers will decide whether or not to allow Russians and Belarusians.
“I think they should get the prize money,” King said at a news conference.
Should there be a compromise or a direct ban?
– Just let them play and get their money, of course it’s rating points. They must have this opportunity. Life is too short. However, we are the platform to discuss it, as you request. I think it is important.
Isn’t that what the WTA was created for?
Yes, the WTA was created for this so that we all have one voice to help protect players.
In the spring of 2022, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) announced that Russian and Belarusian tennis players were banned from playing Wimbledon and other tournaments in the UK in because of the situation in Ukraine. . Subsequently, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) imposed a fine of almost one million euros on the LTA, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) also imposed sanctions on the two organizations.
King is the winner of 39 Grand Slam tournaments (12 singles, 16 doubles, 11 mixed doubles), seven times winner of the Fed Cup in the American team.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
