Swiatek believes WTA tennis could have done better 'from the beginning' in banning Russian and Belarusian players

With the recent U-turn surrounding this year's Wimbledon and Russian and Belarusian players now being allowed to play, Iga Swiatek who is the current World No.1 believes more should've been done in sending a message right from the start.

“I heard that after World War Two, German players were not allowed as well as Japanese and Italian, and I feel like this kind of thing would show the Russian government that maybe it’s not worth it,” she told the BBC.

“I know it’s a small thing because we are just athletes, a little piece in the world but I feel like sport is pretty important and sport has always been used in propaganda.

Read also

One year of 1GA: Iga Swiatek celebrates one year since becoming World Number One, but is the gap closing?

“This is something that was considered at the beginning, tennis didn’t really go that way, but now it would be pretty unfair for Russian and Belarusian players to do that because this decision was supposed to be made a year ago.”

But also she called out the WTA for their stance surrounding it believing that tennis should have itself sent out a message which would also alleviate tensions between players.

“I feel like tennis, from the beginning, could do a bit better in showing everybody that tennis players are against the war,” the Pole added.

“I feel they could do more to make that point and tell their views, and help us cope a bit better in the locker room because the atmosphere there is pretty tense.”

Read also

Medvedev calls ATP Tour 'easygoing', hasn't experienced locker room hate or negativity amid Russian invasion of Ukraine