“You will see strong reactions from us” WTA chief Steve Simon is furious about the Wimbledon’s decision
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Steve Simon and the Wimbledon
Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slams and one of the most prestigious tournaments in the game of tennis. Due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, the Lawn Tennis Association(British tennis association) decided to ban the Russian and Belarusian players from the tournament. This move has caused a widening rift in the tennis world. The ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), and the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) have made their stance clear that they are against this decision of banning the players.
The ban means that two of the top 10 players in the men’s section will lose their chance to stake their claim to the Wimbledon title. Similarly, on the women’s side, three of the top 20 will lose an opportunity to play for the Grand Slam that tennis players aspire to, ever since they begin. The ATP and WTA have made some statements regarding the unfairness of the ban. Steve Simon, the CEO of WTA also has a few words he’d like Wimbledon to hear.
Steve Simon warns Wimbledon of the consequences
Steve made it clear that he will not sit idly as the Wimbledon bans the players. He said:
“The Wimbledon decision goes against the rules of the Grand Slam, as well as the Grand Slam agreement that we (the WTA) have. This is a violation of our point of view in both situations. The LTA (British Tennis Federation, editor’s note) organizes events in agreement with the WTA and the decisions are in violation of WTA regulations regarding the registration of athletes. I think you will see strong reactions from us, but their nature and how far we will go are yet to be determined.”
The statement from the WTA chief is to protect the interests of the players and give them an opportunity to advance in their careers and not let them suffer for a situation that’s beyond their control and of which they are no part.
Tennis is an individual sport and the nationality of a player should not be the reason that they should be banned from one of the biggest tournaments. And certainly not if you have worked relentlessly to be among the top players and you lose the chance to prove yourself at the biggest stage without any fault of your own.
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Prateek Sinha
(365 Articles Published)