Billie Jean King speaks out against Wimbledon banning Russian and Belarusian players - "I cannot support this"

WTA legend Billie Jean King has released a statement claiming she cannot support the banning of Russian and Belarusian players from this year's Wimbledon, a decision that was recently revealed by the tournament organizers.

Earlier this week, Wimbledon organizers announced that players from the two countries would be prohibited from playing at this year’s Grand Slam, following the invasion of Ukraine in February. It became the first elite tennis event to explicitly prohibit stars from Russia and Belarus from competing.

Neither the ATP or WTA have enforced a blanket ban at their events. Instead, players have been to compete in a neutral capacity, without displaying their national flag or having their national anthem played.

King, who formed the WTA in 1973, released a statement criticising Wimbledon’s decision to enforce a ban.

“The decision of the LTA and the AELTC regarding the Russian and Belarusian players at this year’s tournament was a difficult and complex undertaking, and I appreciate the challenges and pressures they are facing,” she wrote.

“One of the guiding principles of the founding of the WTA was that any girl in the world, if she was good enough, would have a place to compete. I stood by that in 1973 and I stand by that today.

“I cannot support the banning of individual athletes from any tournament, simply because of their nationality.

“Tennis is stronger when we stand together, and our continued support of the Tennis Plays for Peace initiative, which provides meaningful financial support and resources to Ukraine, needs to be our focus."

A number of high-ranking tennis stars are now set to miss out on Wimbledon, including World No.2 Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev from the men's tournament. WTA compatriots Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Daria Kasatkina will miss the ladies event, alongside Belarusians Aryna Sabalenka and Viktoria Azarenka.