After a year, Russian and Belarusian tennis players should return to Wimbledon for a grass holiday. But a month and a half before the start of the tournament, one of the main stars, Aryna Sabalenková, a native of Minsk, does not have a valid visa to Great Britain.
He has a life form for now. After her triumph at the Australian Open, Sabalenková continues to chase world number one Iga Šwiateková from the number two position. It is not surprising that she is excited to finally play in London after last year’s break, when the Russians and Belarusians could not play the Grand Slam on grass due to the invasion of Ukraine.
But when she did a poll with fans on social networks a few days ago, she admitted that she still can’t go to the All England Club.
“How are you looking forward to Wimbledon?” asked one of the supporters. The answer was clear: “I still don’t have an approved visa.”
She took the ban for last year’s third Grand Slam of the season hard. “It’s not just about Wimbledon. It was about working really hard and feeling great about tennis, instead I could only watch the matches on TV,” she recalled.
The Belarusian tennis player is currently gaining strength before the clay Grand Slam in Paris. After the triumph in Madrid, she was surprisingly eliminated in the second round from the tournament in Rome.
At press conferences this year, he often has to comment on his position on the war in Ukraine.
“It’s still the same, a lot of players hate me just because of where I come from. I didn’t do anything for Ukraine. I’m glad that the WTA is doing everything to handle the situation as best as possible,” Sabalenkova said last time in Rome.
The organizers of Wimbledon announced in March that they would not repeat last year’s ban on the entry of Russians and Belarusians. However, players may not publicly express support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine or the leaders of their countries.
This time none of the participants will defend any points, as none were awarded last year. The last winner of Wimbledon is Jelena Rybakinová from Kazakhstan.
Editing of the final match at the tournament in Stuttgart between Iga Šwiateková and Aryna Sabalenková (23/04/2023)
Editing of the final match at the tournament in Stuttgart between Iga Šwiateková and Aryna Sabalenková | Video: Associated Press
