By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, March 9, 2023
Denied entry to Wimbledon last year, Daniil Medvedev hopes The Championships will open doors to Russians and Belarusians this year.
Meeting the media in Indian Wells ahead of his opener vs. Brandon Nakashima, Medvedev was asked his thoughts on playing the grass-court Grand Slam this year.
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Wimbledon, which banned Russians and Belarusians in condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last year, is expected to announce its 2023 player policy in the coming weeks.
The 2021 US Open champion said he “absolutely loves” Wimbledon and will respect its decision.
“We hear rumors,” Medvedev said. “I’m going to be honest; I didn’t hear anything from the officials, and I know that I am not someone who is going to make this decision for them or even help them make this decision.
“They have to make it by themselves for their different reasons like they made it last year and I always said that I will respect this decision.”
Last summer, Medvedev called out a double standard in British policy for self-employed Russians, but accepted Wimbledon’s ban even though he felt it was “unfair.”
“Having discussed this with the ATP, we tennis players are considered by law to be self-employed,” Medvevev said in comments published by Tribune de Geneve last summer. “Currently in the United Kingdom, Russian self-employed workers have the right to work.
“So if I have the opportunity to play Wimbledon, I’d be delighted. If not, I would accept it.”
The Dubai champion said he’s hopeful of playing the grass-court Grand Slam, but will opt for the practice court if he’s banned again this year.
“I will play where I can play,” Medvedev told the media in Indian Wells. “Last year I couldn’t play Wimbledon, I was practicing hard back where I live and that’s the only thing I can do.
“Tennis is my job so I will be really happy to play Wimbledon, I absolutely love this tournament, but if it’s not meant to be I’m going to wait for the opportunity to be back there.”
Photo credit: Getty
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