Daniil Medvedev, world N.2, Andrey Rublev (8th), Aryna Sabalenka (4th and semi-finalist last year), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15th) and Viktoria Azarenka (ex-N.1 today 18th) will therefore not be able to not defend their chances in London.

"Under the circumstances of unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefit from the participation of Russian or Belarusian players," the tournament said in a statement.

This decision could be reviewed if "circumstances change radically by June", adds the text.

"We recognize that this decision is hard on those individually affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer from the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime," added the chairman of the All England Club which hosts the event, Ian Hewitt.

"Once again, they are making athletes hostages of political prejudices, political intrigues (...) It is unacceptable", declared the spokesman of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov, even before the official announcement of the tournament.

Following the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from numerous athletics and figure skating competitions as well as the Paralympic Games in Beijing, the Football World Cup, the World Swimming Championships...

In tennis, tournaments in Russia and Belarus have been canceled, while the two nations have been excluded from team competitions (Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, both won by Russia last year).

But individually and under a neutral banner, players from these two countries are currently authorized to play ATP and WTA tournaments.

However, the four Grand Slam tournaments, Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, are independent of the men's and women's circuits.

Two months of talks

To date, the French Federation (FFT) which organizes Roland-Garros (May 22-June 5) and the American (USTA) which organizes the US Open (August 29-September 11) have not planned to exclude Russian and Belarusian players.

Affected players have been muted in their condemnation of the conflict, although Russia's Andrey Rublev wrote "No war please" on a TV camera during a competition in Dubai shortly after the invasion.

"I want peace all over the world," said Medvedev, recovering from surgery.

Belarusian Azarenka, former world No.1 and crowned twice at the Australian Open, was more explicit.

Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, during the Indian Wells tournament, March 14, 2022 Frederic J. BROWN AFP / Archives

“It is heartbreaking to see how many innocent people have been and continue to be affected by this violence,” the 32-year-old said in March.

“We demand exclusion”

"I have always seen and experienced Ukrainians and Belarusians as friendly people and supportive of each other. It is difficult to witness the violent separation that is currently taking place," Azarenka said.

These declarations are considered insufficient by Ukrainian players, including Elina Svitolina (ex-N.5) who ask the ATP and the WTA to exclude Russians and Belarusians if they do not correctly answer three questions set out in a press release : "Do you support the invasion (...), do you support military activities (...), do you support the regimes of Putin and Lukashenko?"

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, during the Monterrey tournament, March 4, 2022 Julio Cesar AGUILAR AFP

“Depending on the responses, we demand the exclusion and banishment of Russian and Belarusian athletes from all international competition, as Wimbledon did,” continues this text posted on social networks on Wednesday.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which oversees the main preparation tournaments for Wimbledon, has decided to align itself with the measure taken by the Major and not to welcome any Russians or Belarusians to Queen's or Eastbourne in particular.

A decision hailed by Wimbledon for its "consistency".

© 2022 AFP