Wimbledon: Daniil Medvedev not given up hope of competing despite ban on banned Russians and Belarusians | Tennis News

Daniil Medvedev has not given up hope of competing at Wimbledon; the decision to ban Russians and Belarusians from the Grand Slam has been condemned by the men’s and women’s tours and a number of players, with Rafael Nadal calling the ruling “unfair”

Daniil Medvedev has not given up hope of competing at Wimbledon next month

Daniil Medvedev has not given up hope of competing at Wimbledon next month even though tournament organisers have banned Russians and Belarusians from playing at the Grand Slam due to the invasion of Ukraine.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) barred players from the two countries from competing at this year’s Wimbledon in response to what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

The AELTC said it made the decision following discussions with the government, but US Open champion Medvedev remains hopeful that organisers might make a late U-turn on its decision.

“(When) you show a tennis ball to 100 people, I’m sure some of them are going to say it’s green and not yellow. I think it’s yellow. (But) if somebody tells me it’s green, I’m not going to get in conflict with this person”

Daniil Medvedev

“I don’t know if this decision is 100 per cent and it’s over [for me],” the Russian, who will be returning to action in Geneva after spending the last six weeks recovering from a hernia operation, said.

“If I can play, I’m going to be happy to play in Wimbledon. I love this tournament. If I cannot play – well, I’m going to try to play other tournaments and prepare well for next year if I have the chance to play.”

There have been suggestions that Wimbledon could be stripped of its ranking points by the two tours if the ban remains in force – effectively reducing the world’s most famous tennis tournament to an exhibition event.

“I tried to follow what’s happening because I don’t have any decisions to make. It’s right now about Wimbledon itself, the ATP, maybe the British government is involved,” he said.

“It’s a tricky situation and like every situation in life, you ask 100 players, everybody’s going to give a different opinion.

“[When] you show a tennis ball to 100 people, I’m sure some of them are going to say it’s green and not yellow. I think it’s yellow. [But] if somebody tells me it’s green, I’m not going to get in conflict with this person.”

Medvedev, who lost in the Australian Open final to Rafael Nadal in January, missed the beginning of the European clay-court season as he skipped events in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome while he recovered his fitness.

He is top-seeded at the Geneva clay-court tournament and has a bye into the second round to face Richard Gasquet or John Millman.

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