When it was announced that Russian and Belarussian players would be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year, the mind immediately switched not to Daniil Medvedev or Victoria Azarenka but to Aryna Sabalenka.
Athletes from those countries were banned from the Championships last summer, as a reflection of their nations’ grave involvement in the war in Ukraine. But once that decision was reversed this time round, Sabalenka became favourite for the women’s title in the minds of many.
