“PTPA, ATP or WTA don’t have that power” Novak Djokovic believes Wimbledon’s ban cannot be overturned


“PTPA, ATP or WTA don’t have that power” Novak Djokovic believes Wimbledon’s ban cannot be overturned

Novak Djokovic

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic continues to express his disagreement with the ban on Russian and Belarusian players by the LTA and Wimbledon over the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War. The ban will see the players from the two nations not allowed for any grasscourt event in the UK including the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.

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The ban has met mixed reviews as many people believe that the athletes are innocent and not involved with the decision their government makes. Others have welcomed the decision believing that international pressure and ban on its citizens will lead to a ceasefire from the Russians after 2-months of war.

Djokovic is one of the few non-Russian players to criticise the ban by the Championships which he fans ‘crazy and discriminatory’. Novak is the defending champion in the men’s singles this year at the Grand Slam but has expressed clear oppose to the ban and spoke against it once again after he finished as the runner-up of the 2022 Serbia Open to Russian Andrey Rublev yesterday. Djokovic has seen the effects of a war himself when he was a kid and had said that he didn’t wish any kind of war to take place.

“The lower the ranking, the greater the struggle, both economic and professional. Of course when a war breaks out, life is always much more important than this kind of hassle. Either way, there will be plenty of unfortunate players who will suffer the consequences of this decision. There’s not much more we can do, nor does the PTPA, ATP or WTA have that power. 

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“You can issue a statement that tries to change something, but on a larger political scale, it is local governments or federations that decide to ban Russian and Belarusian players from participating. You can’t do much more. I totally disagree with this decision,” said Novak as per reports of WeloveTennis.

Will Novak Djokovic boycott the Wimbledon this year?

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic

Many speculations and theories are being formulated currently believing that the ATP and WTA along with Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil‘s co-founded PTPA will make a joint move towards the Wimbledon ban. In such case, options like freezing the ranking or a complete boycott are put forth taking inspiration from the 1973 Wimbledon boycott by 80 top players over the suspension of Nikola Pilic.

While Novak has not hinted at any such drastic step, one can however be assured that the Serbian will definitely stand with his colleagues and while other players can continue to hold their silence, Novak will certainly speak his heart out when it is a subject of this importance.

Also Read: “A real problem” Journalist Ben Rothenberg accuses a ‘reckless’ Novak Djokovic of throwing his racket and almost hitting a ball kid during the Serbia Open finals

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