Players at Wimbledon have told how the war in Ukraine is weighing heavily on their minds as Russians are allowed once more to compete.
After being barred in 2022, Russians can take part this year provided they sign neutrality agreements. But Veronika Kudermetova, the second-ranked Russian female player, has suggested tensions remain in the locker room.
The player, 26, was asked about her relationship with the Ukrainian players after defeating Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi on Monday. “I say ‘hi’ to them. I say ‘hi’. Some people, they reply; some not,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina has told how the horrors of the war back home weigh on her every day. “When I wake up, I always check the news,” she said after her victory over Venus Williams on Monday.
“Every moment that I’m not on the court I’m checking how my family is doing, how the situation is in Ukraine, monitoring all the time what is happening and how me and my foundation, the team around me, how we can help in that particular moment for some kids, for my family, for friends, for anyone. So this is pretty much the life that I have now on the day-to-day basis.”
The 28-year-old wildcard, whose home city is Odesa, added that the war motivates her to train and improve. “People are having horrible times in Ukraine right now, and for me is no excuses to complain, because I have an amazing, an amazing life,” she said.
Svitolina was booed as she refused to shake hands with Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka, the women’s world No 2 and second seed, after a tense quarter-final defeat at the French Open in June.
But the former Wimbledon semi-finalist, who was returning to the championships after the birth of her daughter in October, would not comment on the club allowing Russian and Belarusian players to compete. “I feel the support, a lot of support from the people in England, and a lot of people express their support to me and to Ukrainians as well,” she said.
The Russian world No 7, Andrey Rublev, condemned the ban, saying Wimbledon had hurt only itself. “There were better options for Wimbledon, not just to ban players,” he said after beating Australian Max Purcell on Monday. “Because, in the end, there was no difference. They did only worse to themselves. If we really want to help or do what’s best for tennis and for people, I think there were better options.”
Russian and Belarusian players and support staff, by signing the All England Club’s declaration of neutrality, must agree that they will not express support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and will not receive funding from the Russian government or companies affiliated to the government during their time in the UK.
But Kudermetova has faced criticism over her links to the Russian oil and gas company Tatneft, whose former subsidiary has been placed under EU sanctions for providing the Russian army with tyres.
When questioned at the Madrid Open in May about wearing Tatneft’s logo on her outfit, she said she had not broken any rules and would remove the logo in order to compete at Wimbledon.
The former doubles finalist was also pictured receiving an award last December from Tatneft’s chair, Rustam Minnikhanov, who is an ally of Vladimir Putin and is under sanctions. Minnikhanov also serves as the president of the Russian republic of Tatarstan.
The All England Club said: “We have written confirmation from every Russian and Belarusian player competing at the championships that they will compete as a neutral athlete and will abide by the neutrality principles set out by the UK government.”
• This article was amended on 6 July 2023 because an earlier version said that the Russian company Tatneft “has been under EU sanctions”. In fact it is Tatneft’s former subsidiary that has been placed under sanctions. It was also updated to add that Tatneft’s chairman Rustam Minnikhanov serves as the president of the Russian republic of Tatarstan.
