Strawberries and cream returns to London once more this Summer, yet when it comes to normality that is as far as it goes. For the first time the main talking point will not be be which male and female can lift that famous trophy at the end of a gruelling fortnight, instead politics will take the forefront. When sports and politics mix, rarely is it a pretty sight nevertheless this tornado of chaos and confusion on the tennis court has left the world scratching it’s head. Tennis is making the headlines for al the wrong reasons once more.
With despicable acts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict left, right and centre many countries are implementing measures to impact Putin’s regime. Some are having the desired impact and having real consequences on Russia. Although, not being able to see Daniil Medvedev on the grass courts of Wimbledon? Is it really achieving anything in that regard?
Just a matter of weeks ago Wimbledon released a statement which banned Russian and Belarusian players from their famous tournament. It read: “It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to the Championships 2022.” The A.T.P ( the Association of Tennis Professionals) released a statement condemning the actions of Wimbledon saying that “discrimination by individual tournaments is simply not viable”. The woman’s branch (also known as the W.T.A) were on similar accord and as a consequence both authorities removed ranking points from the event.
To say there was uproar and controversy circulating the world would have been a gross understatement. If you though the Djokovic vaccine was a fiasco, that was just a starter, this is a main course.
The reality is, its unjust to expect anyone to put themselves in severe danger on order to play a sporting event. Take a look at Alexie Navalny, he is a sorry example of what being an opposer can do to one, it’s hardly a surprise the lack of enthusiasm that an athlete may posses to speak out against Putin’s war-crimes. Navalalny, who was an opposition leader found himself moved to an even higher security prison just a matter of days ago. All for exercising his non-existent right of free speech.
After a Marseille victory world number 8 and Russian Andrey Rublev wrote on the camera’s an anti-war message, after recent events it only paints his character in an even better light, showing his immense courage. Yet, this cant be expected of everyone.
You also have to ask; does this benefit Ukraine in anyway? Likewise, what real impact does this have on Russia? Similarly, Ukraine have became everyone’s second favourite national football team, which is thoughtful and compassionate but you beg to ask ; does it really make a difference? It’s the same in this scenario. While Putin sits in his arm chair on the morning of the 27th June do you think he will be cursing at the though of missing Sabalenka look to go one better than last year semi-final run? Will lost sleep be a consequence as he worries the impact this tournament could’ve had for Daniil Medvedev as the worlds best player? I Doubt it in all honesty, it’d be far fetched to say that’s at the top of the worry list.
Sure though, it has to be said seeing Medvedev or Rublev lifting that trophy had they been successful would have been a tad awkward. While it’s far from their fault you cant help but think they’d be a few boos and cringes. It would be a ceremony that wouldn’t go down in the memory for the positive reasons. Maybe, that’s when the “play but not represent” ideology holds it’s strongest argument.
On a less significant sporting scale, it turns the whole season into a laughing stock with unjust ranking systems being unfit for purpose. Take a look at the likes of Dennis Shapovalov, Hubert Hurcakz, Karolina Pliskova and Dennis Shapovalov they will now find themselves helpless to a fall in ranking in the tennis world. This could be detrimental to their careers in a knock-on effect.
In general, Wimbledon loses it’s value. Effectively, it becomes a exhibition with prize money which many may pass on. With the draw already looking a tad weaker, its hard to see a full sheet of players flocking down to London. Preparing for the hard courts season seems more worthwhile, if your main motive isn’t the pay check (big if, of course).
Grass at the best of times isn’t an overly favoured surface by the tour, this only exaggerates that stigma. While the grass season only lasting five weeks as it is, that being shrunk to three with no tournament bigger than 500 level, it now effectively holds no value. Effectively a miniscule fraction of the season it has became. That, in comparison to a three-month clay court swing and even more on the hard courts. Grass courts specialists, tough luck. An unfair lopsided tennis system which favours those with a slower game in already slower hard courts than before, is only being made to be even more ludicrous.
Yet, in reality all this reiterates the obvious case that tennis must have a united governing body. With Grand Slam corporations, the LTA, the ATP, the WTA and the ITF all having a say on tour shenanigans, its hardly a surprise that conflicting views often occur. It’s time for change, for a sport with such a great global appeal to stop being ran as if we are still in the 1970s.
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