WTA founder Billie Jean King urges Wimbledon to reverse ban on Russian and Belarussian players
The tennis legend had her say on the Wimbledon policy that resulted in players not being given rankings points for the tournament
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Billie Jean King, Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka
Billie Jean King has called for Wimbledon to follow the Australian Open and drop their ban on players from Russia and Belarus in the 2023 edition. King said that it’s essential that players be given ranking points at Wimbledon, which could only happen if the players from these countries are allowed again. There are rumors that the organizers of the tournament are going to reinstate the players this year.
King said, “I hope they do (rescind it), just keep it the same way the other ones are. Life is too short. It’s the ranking points, for sure. They have to have them. Rybakina, they’ve seeded her 25th, but because she won Wimbledon, she’s not (where she should be).” King spoke at an event commemorating her founding of the WTA, an apt place to give her thoughts.
These comments come just as the possibility of an all-Belarusian Australian Open final opens up. Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka are both in the last four of the tournament and could be the finalists. In addition to the two, Moscow-born Elena Rybakina also features in the semifinals. Sabalenka and Azarenka are playing as neutral players due to the ban on Russian or Belarusian representation at Melbourne Park.
King also said that the fractured governance structure at the top level needs to be solved. She said that having one commissioner regulating all the Grand Slam tournaments would help ensure the Wimbledon problem doesn’t occur again. For now, however, all eyes remain on the Australian Open.
Related: Billie Jean King and the Orginal 9 get together for a special ceremony at the 2023 Australian Open
The four Australian Open semifinalists
In Melbourne, the Australian Open has been full of surprises and comebacks. The four semifinalists in the women’s singles all have their own unique stories. The biggest surprise of all is Polish player Magda Linette.
Before this, the 30-year-old has never reached even the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament. She will now face World No.5 Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the final. Sabalenka was always going to be in contention to win, and that has been the case. She has yet to drop a set on the way to the semifinals. The feel-good story of the tournament has been Victoria Azarenka, however. The 33-year-old has fought hard to return to the Australian Open semifinals after a decade. She will face a challenge against Elena Rybakina, however.
Rybakina has been in unbelievable form in Melbourne. The Kazak player has knocked out Iga Swiatek from the tournament and has had the toughest fixtures of the four. She is being billed as the favorite by many. Whoever wins the tournament, all these players will be happy with their efforts at the Australian Open.
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Samarth Srivastava
(139 Articles Published)