TENNIS | RICK BROADBENT
This threat is appalling — Wimbledon is wrong to back down on Russia ban
The Times
In February, Andrey Rublev won a doubles tournament with his Ukrainian partner. A few days later the Russian was playing in Dubai when he heard his country had invaded Denys Molchanov’s homeland. “We are normal people,” he said at the time. “We are not into politics. Sport brings us together. Simple. Peace to everyone.” And for some that will be the common-sense bedrock of Wimbledon’s decision if it lifts its ban on Russian players next year. Except it was not simple then and it isn’t now.
That the ATP has threatened to kick out the LTA if it maintains its ban is appalling. The LTA has had to stomach a $1 million (about £820,000) fine for barring Russian and Belarusian men from this year’s grass-court
