Sergiy Stakhovsky calls for Wimbledon to continue Russian and Belarusian ban: “Nothing has changed in a significant way to allow them to compete”

Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky asked Wimbledon to keep the ban on Russian and Belarusian players.

Former world No. 31 is in Kiev, where he is serving with the National Guard amid the invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the All-England Club decided that Russian and Belarusian players could not participate in the Wimbledon tournament due to the war. The measure led to fines being imposed and the ATP and WTA deciding that the tournament would not award points to the players

“Nothing has changed in a significant way to allow them to compete.”, said Stakhovky.

The Ukrainian said that the measure taken last year was "highly appreciated" in his country.

"It has got worse because the numbers of this war grow and they grow fast. Nothing has changed in a significant way to allow them to compete.”

"Unfortunately, Wimbledon didn’t find any support in any of the other Slams but I guess that is what makes Wimbledon special. It was never about the money. Wimbledon is about different values and they always stood out.”

"Even in the way we compete at Wimbledon in white clothes, it stands for tradition, it stands for different values. And those values are what makes Wimbledon a very different tournament from all the others. It was never about the money.”

The former tennis player also spoke about what happened at this year's Australian Open with the victory of Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka, which led Russian fans to display flags and shirts in support of the war. “Everyone still knows that I'm a Belarusian player,” said Sabalenka about playing with a neutral flag.

Stakhovsky said in the interview that none of those players declared themselves against the invasion.

“I would ban them. Not one of them publicly stood up and said that he or she is against the invasion.

"If there was one, there would be another. If everyone is silent, everyone else thinks everything is fine and they are doing what they should do.”