LONDON: Russian and Belarusian players will be able to compete at Wimbledon as neutral athletes after the All England Club on Friday reversed its ban from last year.
The players must sign declarations of neutrality and comply with “appropriate conditions,” including not expressing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted,” All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt said in a statement.
The players cannot receive funding from the Russian or Belarusian states, including sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by the states.
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are among the players who can return.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba condemned the reversal as “immoral.”
“Has Russia ceased its aggression or atrocities? No, it’s just that Wimbledon decided to accommodate two accomplices in crime. I call on the UK government to deny visas to their players,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter.
Other tennis tournaments have allowed Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutral athletes — their nationalities are not listed in the brackets, official results or graphics on TV broadcasts of matches. But, as in some other team sports, Russia and Belarus were not permitted to participate in the Billie Jean King Cup or Davis Cup by the International Tennis Federation.
“We also consider alignment between the Grand Slams to be increasingly important in the current tennis environment,” the All England Club said.
The same conditions will apply for Lawn Tennis Association tournaments used by players as grass-court warmups for the sport’s oldest Grand Slam tournament.
The women’s and men’s professional tennis tours last year imposed heavy fines on the LTA and threatened to pull its tournaments. The effect of being expelled from the tours, the LTA said, “would be very damaging and far reaching for the game in our country.”
The ATP and WTA had also responded to last year’s ban by not awarding ranking points for Wimbledon — an unprecedented move against the prestigious event.
“There was a strong and very disappointing reaction from some governing bodies in tennis to the position taken by the All England Club and the LTA last year with consequences which, if continued, would be damaging to the interests of players, fans, The Championships and British tennis,” the club said.
This year’s Wimbledon tournament will start on July 3. The women’s final is scheduled for July 15 and the men’s final on July 16.
“It’s a beautiful tournament, beautiful Grand Slam. I’m really happy that I’m going to be able to play there this year,” Medvedev said Friday after he won his semifinal match at the Miami Open over fellow Russian Karen Khachanov. “I don’t know what the crowd reaction is going to be, I cannot control it, but I will be happy to play there in front of all the people. Hopefully on big courts. Hopefully have some big, amazing matches.”
Also speaking in Miami Gardens, Florida, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova said Russia and Belarusian players should continue to be banned from both Wimbledon and the Olympics.
“For sure I’m just more worried about the Ukrainian people and players. I appreciate that Wimbledon had a tough time last year not giving the (ranking) points, that Belarusians and Russians didn’t play. And I think they shouldn’t be allowed, actually,” Kvitova said. “I’m just still a bit on the Ukrainian side of this.”
Martina Navratilova, who won a record nine Wimbledon singles titles, said she supported the change. She wrote on Twitter, “as I said last year, this was a bad decision and I am glad it was reversed.”
The All England Club said the conditions were developed through talks with the British government, the LTA and “international stakeholder bodies in tennis.”
The club’s statement described “personal player declarations” but didn’t provide details. The LTA said the players and support staff “will be required to sign neutrality declarations” similar to those used in other sports.
In a joint statement, the ATP and WTA said they were satisfied with the outcome.
“It has taken a collaborative effort across the sport to arrive at a workable solution, which protects the fairness of the game,” the tours said. “This remains an extremely difficult situation, and we would like to thank Wimbledon and the LTA for their efforts in reaching this outcome, while reiterating our unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s war on Ukraine.”
Wimbledon drops ban on Russians, lets them play as neutrals
https://arab.news/mjuga
Wimbledon drops ban on Russians, lets them play as neutrals
- Players required to sign declarations of neutrality and comply with “appropriate conditions,” including not expressing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are among the players who can return
Alcaraz faces Medvedev for Indian Wells title after stopping Sinner streak
- Alcaraz’s 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory ended Sinner’s 19-match winning streak, including a 16-0 start to the year
- In the final Mevedev will be be out to thwart Alcaraz’s bid to become the first repeat Indian Wells ATP champion since Novak Djokovic won three straight titles from 2014-2016
INDIAN WELLS: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz handed Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner his first defeat of 2024 on Saturday to set up an Indian Wells final against Daniil Medvedev.
Alcaraz’s 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory ended Sinner’s 19-match winning streak, including a 16-0 start to the year, and ensures Alcaraz will remain No. 2 in the world rankings next week.
“To be able to end something like this, it’s incredible for me,” Spain’s Alcaraz said of busting the Italian’s streak.
Sunday’s final against fourth-seeded Russian Medvedev is a repeat of last year’s championship decider.
Medvedev also had to fight back in a 1-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over 17th-ranked American Tommy Paul. In the final he’ll be out to thwart Alcaraz’s bid to become the first repeat Indian Wells ATP champion since Novak Djokovic won three straight titles from 2014-2016.
Alcaraz and Sinner’s semifinal was disrupted by a three-hour rain delay at 2-1 in the first set but proved worth the wait as the 20-something stars put on a show.
“Matches with Jannik are always special,” Alcaraz said. “We know we have to play at our highest level to win. We have to put magic on the court, unbelievable points and for the crowd it is also wonderful.”
Sinner quickly seized the initiative when play resumed, winning four straight games to pocket the first set.
He saved the only break point he faced, and gained the insurance break for a 5-1 lead, pouncing on a short ball for a stinging cross-court passing winner on break point.
Alcaraz turned it around in the second set with a savvy change of style, backing up to give himself more time on the returns and gradually working his way into the match.
He broke Sinner with a deep volley winner for a 3-1 lead and held for 4-1 in a game that had fans on their feet cheering a thrilling rally at the net.
He saved break points in the seventh and ninth games before sealing the set with a drop-shot winner.
“I stayed strong mentally,” Alcaraz said. “I think that’s a really important part in this game.
“This kind of match, a set down playing against someone that’s playing an unbelievable game — I’m really happy with the things I’ve done.
“I changed my style a little bit, I changed my game a little bit, and I think it worked very, very well,” said Alcaraz, who is chasing his first title since winning Wimbledon last year.
Sinner’s mistakes were multiplying in the third set and Alcaraz broke in the third game, delivering a high backhand volley to end another scrambling rally.
World No. 3 Sinner, who had dived to get a ball back, came up shaking out his right arm and rubbing his elbow.
He suddenly was powerless to stop Alcaraz, who won five straight games, clinching the match with a forehand winner.
It was the second straight year that Alcaraz stopped Sinner in the Indian Wells semifinals.
“It’s for sure not the ending that I wanted, but playing against him, it’s always tough,” Sinner said. “I tried to play good tennis, which I have done, especially in the first set.
“Then I made a couple of mistakes. The momentum has changed. He raised his level.”
Medvedev said the chilly evening conditions made it hard to find a groove in the opening set against Paul, but like Alcaraz he was able to make some adjustments.
He won the first four games of the second set but Paul attacked the net aggressively to claw back and force the tiebreaker, in which the American rolled his ankle on the sixth point.
Medvedev won the last five points of the tiebreaker to level the match and seized a 5-1 lead in the third, finally fending off a pair of break points in the final game to close it out.
The reward is a chance to avenge last year’s loss to Alcaraz and claim the only one of the six hardcourt Masters 1000 titles he has yet to win.
“I know what happened last year so I’m going to try my best to try to turn this around, to play better, to play stronger, more on the lines, hit more aces, stuff like this,” Medvedev said. “Hopefully I will be able to do it.”
Novak Djokovic withdraws from the Miami Open
- “At this stage of my career, I’m balancing my private and professional schedule,” Djokovic wrote
- The 36-year-old Djokovic is a six-time champion in Miami
MIAMI, USA: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic will skip the Miami Open, saying less than a week after a surprise loss at Indian Wells that he needs to balance his “private and professional schedule.”
Djokovic’s announcement Saturday on his social media accounts follows his 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 defeat to unheralded Luca Nardi on Monday in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
“At this stage of my career, I’m balancing my private and professional schedule. I’m sorry that I won’t experience some of the best and most passionate fans in the world,” Djokovic wrote.
Nardi, who is ranked No. 123, become the lowest-ranked player to beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam or ATP Masters 1000 level event, surpassing No. 122 Kevin Anderson in 2008 in Miami.
The 20-year-old Italian got into the field as a “lucky loser,” which is a player who stumbled on the final hurdle in qualifying but made it into the main draw as a replacement for an injured player who pulled out before the first round.
The 36-year-old Djokovic is a six-time champion in Miami. The hardcourt tournament begins next week.
Luca Nardi stuns boyhood idol and top-ranked Novak Djokovic with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win at Indian Wells
Luca Nardi stuns boyhood idol and top-ranked Novak Djokovic with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win at Indian Wells
- Nardi became the lowest-ranked player to beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam or ATP Masters 1000 level event
- Coco Gauff gave herself an early birthday present by beating Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the third round
INDIAN WELLS, California: Luca Nardi used a combination of poise and power to stun his boyhood idol and top-seeded Novak Djokovic with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win on Monday night in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Nardi, who’s ranked No. 123, closed out his huge upset over the No. 1 player in the rankings with an ace. The 20-year-old from Italy dropped his racket and brought his hands to his face almost in disbelief before greeting Djokovic at the net.
“This is a miracle,” Nardi said in an interview after the match on the Tennis Channel. “I’m a 20-years-old guy, 100 in the world, and beating Novak. So, crazy. Crazy.”
Setting the tone early with his hard-hitting shots, Nardi frustrated Djokovic all evening. There was a moment when Nardi was surprised by an “in” call and casually hit the ball back over the net. It resulted in a winner and led to Djokovic complaining to the official about a potential hindrance.
To think, Nardi was nearly on his way home. He got into the field as a “lucky loser,” which is a player who stumbled on the final hurdle in qualifying but made it into the main draw as a replacement for an injured player who pulled out before the first round. In Nardi’s case, he stepped in for No. 30 Tomas Martin Etcheverry and received a bye through the opening round.
He went on to become the lowest-ranked player to beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam or ATP Masters 1000 level event, surpassing No. 122 Kevin Anderson in 2008 in Miami.
Using a combination of aggressiveness and finesse, Nardi had Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion from Serbia he grew up watching, smiling and shaking his head at times in a mixture of surprise and shock.
Nardi was far from intimidated, either, answering Djokovic’s well-placed shots with well-placed returns of his own.
“Before this night, no one knew me,” said Nardi, who will face American Tommy Paul in the round of 16. “I hope now the crowd enjoyed the game. I’m super happy with this one.”
Djokovic certainly didn’t know that much about Nardi, only what he gleaned watching him play. He knew Nardi had a strong baseline game, especially with the forehand, and moved well.
“He got in as a ‘lucky loser’ to (the) main draw, so he really didn’t have anything to lose. So he played great,” Djokovic said. “Deserved to win. I was more surprised with my level. My level was really, really bad.”
No. 4 Daniil Medvedev’s was just good enough, as he edged No. 29 Sebastian Korda 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 and will face No. 13 Grigor Dimitrov.
Earlier in the day, Coco Gauff gave herself an early birthday present by beating Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the third round. Gauff, who turns 20 on Wednesday, struggled early but found a way to hold her serve by saving 10 of 11 break points. She closed out the match with a serve into the body that Bronzetti couldn’t return. It extended Gauff’s winning streak in the US to 18 matches, a run that includes winning the title at last year’s US Open.
Bronzetti had a chance to force a third set when she took a 5-4 lead in the tiebreaker. Gauff won the next three points.
These days, Gauff is finding ways to win when she doesn’t necessarily have all her shots tuned in.
“The mentality is the reason why I’m playing and the reason why I’m being successful,” said Gauff, who won a doubles match with partner Jessica Pegula later Monday.
Gauff will face Elize Mertens in the round of 16. Mertens held off Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-4. Osaka played in the fifth tournament of her return after her maternity leave in 2023.
Two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka beat 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-3, 7-5 to advance.
On the men’s side, No. 7 Holger Rune played his first match of the tournament and beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 7-6 (5) to advance to the round of 16. Rune had a bye in the first round and advanced through the second when Milos Raonic withdrew with an injury. He will face No. 12 Taylor Fritz, the 2022 champion.
Gael Monfils won a three-set thriller over Cameron Norrie, the tournament’s 2021 winner, in a match that took more than three hours.
Sinner, Alcaraz trounce Indian Wells Masters opponents
- In WTA play, Iga Swiatek claimed quick revenge for a January loss as she hammered Czech Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-0 to reach the fourth round
INDIAN WELLS: Reigning Grand Slam champions Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz turned in dominating performances on Sunday to roll into the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters.
The two hottest young racquets in the sport showed no mercy in quickfire victories with Australian Open champion Sinner overwhelming Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-4.
“Almost perfect” Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, stepped up his 2023 title defense with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The world No. 2 Spaniard allowed his Canadian opponent no room to move, reaching the fourth round with his eighth match win in a row at the event.
“It was almost the perfect match for me,” said Alcaraz, who broke Auger-Aliassime’s serve four times. “I moved well, played aggressive and had less mistakes.”
Sinner was equally ruthless as he attacked Struff, with the Italian winning his 17th match in succession dating to his country’s Davis Cup victory in November.
Both of the young guns needed barely an hour and a quarter to claim their victories.
Sinner fired 27 winners past Struff, whose style gave the third seed a target on court.
“We prepared very well, I tried to learn his moves,” Sinner said. “I played well and served well under pressure.
“Overall I can be really happy about today, I felt really good on the court.”
Alcaraz won the last five games of the opening set and broke to start the second on his way to repeating his win over Auger-Aliassime from the 2023 quarter-finals.
The second seed finished off victory on his first match point as Auger-Aliassime hit the net with his 23rd unforced error.
It was a welcome show of strength from Alcaraz, who hasn’t won a title since winning his second Grand Slam with a stunning triumph over Novak Djokovic at the All England Club last year.
He exited the Australian Open in the quarterfinals then lost in the semifinals at Buenos Aires last month before spraining his ankle and retiring from his opening match in Rio de Janeiro.
“I played at a really high level of tennis, so much higher than the first round,” the Spaniard said. “Hopefully (I’ll) keep climbing (raising) my level.”
Alcaraz may still be feeling the effects of the ankle, which has left him short of 2024 match play.
“My confidence has gone down a little bit, I’ve been struggling during the practice every day,” he admitted. “I’m trying to keep my confidence as high as I can.”
In other matches, Australian Alex de Minaur, seeded 10th, dominated Dubai finalist Alexander Bublik 7-5, 6-0.
Greek 11th-seed Stefanos Tsitsipas eliminated a home crowd favorite with his 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Frances Tiafoe, who reached the Californian quarters a year ago.
“I’m happy with this victory because I had a good start,” former top-10 player Tsitsipas said. “I maintained that throughout the match.
“Of course he was going to fight back at some point and present a more difficult challenge for me in the second set, but I fought back.
“I held serve, and I stayed really committed to what I was doing.”
In WTA play, Iga Swiatek claimed quick revenge for a January loss as she hammered Czech Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-0 to reach the fourth round.
The Polish top seed was defeated by the 29th-ranked challenger in an Australian Open third-round upset.
On Sunday, world number one Swiatek quickly recovered after going down an early break to the 19-year-old, levelling at 4-all and sweeping through the remainder of the third-round match.
Swiatek will next face Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, who beat Madison Keys 6-4, 6-1.
The Pole said she learned from her loss to Noskova in Melbourne.
“It was much smarter to think about how to just play against Linda rather than focusing on my mistakes,” she said. “I was motivated to just play better and not make the same mistakes but to improve my game in some aspects.”
Swiatek said that despite winning the last 10 games of the match, she will not depend on that kind of superlative form. “I wouldn’t say I felt like I’m in a roll, because I was still so focused. I know that players can easily switch the momentum back.”
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic excited by return to Indian Wells
- The Serb will resume his quest for a record-setting sixth trophy at the ATP-WTA California desert classic
- Djokovic said he and his team are fine-tuning their strategy to emphasize the four Grand Slams and other big events on the near-nonstop ATP calendar
INDIAN WELLS: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic said his excitement level is high as he returns to the ATP Indian Wells Masters for the first time in five years.
The Serb will resume his quest for a record-setting sixth trophy at the ATP-WTA California desert classic, which he last won in 2016 and last played in 2019.
“I’m very excited to come back,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion said on Thursday prior to his upcoming second-round opener against Australian Aleksandar Vukic.
“Time flies incredibly fast — let’s see if I can have a good tournament.”
After taking a six-week pause since he lost an Australian Open semifinal against eventual champion Jannik Sinner, the 36-year-old Djokovic made sure to arrive in California well over a week before the start of play here.
In addition to practicing at the courts at the University of California at Los Angeles he was spotted taking in an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets,who are led by Serbian star Nikola Jokic.
“I’m ready to get into competition. I’ve been training well and I arrived in LA quite early,” Djokovic said.
The Serb said he and his team are fine-tuning their strategy to emphasize the four Grand Slams and other big events on the near-nonstop ATP calendar.
“We want to have clarity on goals and tournaments,” Djokovic said. “I want to focus on the slams and the other big events.
“I want to get the most out of myself in all events where I participate.
“I’m not playing full seasons (any more) and I will be more selective as to where I play. I’ll listen to my body and create a schedule around the big events.
“I want to get the most out of myself in the later stages of my career.”
Djokovic won the Indian Wells title in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016. The tournament was canceled in 2020 and he couldn’t play the next three years because of US travel restrictions on those not vaccinated for COVID.
His five titles are tied for the most with Roger Federer and he admitted he misses his retired Swiss rival. He’s also pining for matches against 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
The 37-year-old Spaniard, who missed most of last year, returned at Brisbane in January but was forced out of the Australian Open by another injury and on Wednesday withdrew from his planned comeback at Indian Wells due to lack of preparation and fitness.
“Those two guys and Andy Murray are an inseparable part of my development as a player,” Djokovic said. “It’s down to the rivalries I had with those guys.
“But the moment (of retirement) will come for all of us. An era comes to an end but there are so many wonderful moments and milestones we can celebrate.
“The rivalries between us are one of the greatest the sport has ever seen.
“Let’s see how much farther I can push the needle.”