DANIIL MEDVEDEV, THE RUSSIAN WORLD NO. 1, SAID HE WANTS TO PROMOTE HIS SPORT BUT IS NOT SURE HE WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY.
Medvedev,The Russian world no. 1, says he wants to promote his sports but not sure he will be able to play.
Russia’s world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev said he is unsure whether he will be allowed to continue playing but wants to promote his sport.
The ATP and WTA condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a joint statement last week, banning Russian athletes from team events and ruling that individuals can compete on the tour but not under the name of their flag or country.
Medvedev, who is due to play at Indian Wells, the first Masters event of the year, said: “It’s always tough to talk on this subject because I want to play tennis; play in different countries.
When asked whether the ban on players could include individuals the 26-year-old said: “We never know – some sports made this decision, especially I would think the team sports.
“Tennis is probably one of the most individual sports we have in the world. Everyone’s living in so many different places.”
Speaking to Russian state aligned media outlet, RIA Novosti, Medvedev said he hoped the ban would only be temporary and that he is waiting for the moment that Russian athletes will be able to carry the flag next to their names.
Belarus player Aryna Sabalenka, who has also been prevented from playing under her national flag, has said that she will wear the blue and yellow ribbon of Ukraine during her first match at Indian Wells on Saturday.
“I feel really sad and really bad about Ukrainian citizens who lost their homes in the war,” she said. “But unfortunately it’s not under my control. I just hope for peace.
“At least we can play. I do understand [why she can’t play under the Belarusian flag], but it’s not under our control. We also feel really sad and really bad about this situation.”
With Ashleigh Barty and Barbora Krejcikova absent, Sabalenka goes into the tournament as top seed.
The UK government, in a statement co-signed by countries including the United States, affirmed its support for the position of international sport organisations to ban Russian athletes and called for more of sports’ leading bodies to do the same.
The statement called for Russia and Belarus not to be awarded any sporting event, athletes to be prevented from competing under the Russian flag and limits to sponsorship and other financial support with links to Russia.
It also called for the international sport community to continue to show its solidarity with the people of Ukraine, including through supporting Ukrainian sport where possible.
The International Olympic Committee has barred Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing at its events too, including the Winter Olympics. Russian athletes have also been banned from athletics, badminton, canoeing and rowing events.
FIFA and UEFA have removed Russia’s football team from the upcoming World Cup play-offs, coming after the Polish Football Association stated it would forfeit the game against Russia.
Medvedev passed Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the world rankings to reach the number one spot late last month.
He is the first player not named Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to hold the top spot since Andy Roddick in 2004.
He is 150 points clear of Djokovic, who will not be competing in Indian Wells or Miami this month as he was unable to overcome CDC regulations banning him from entering the country due to his vaccination status.
