Maria Sharapova was notably absent from Wimbledon 's Centre Court centenary celebrations on Sunday, but organisers have insisted that was not due to her being Russian.
All players from Russia and Belarus have been banned from attending SW19 this year due to their involvement in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. It's understood Wimbledon bosses worried about the prospect of a Royal being pictured with a champion from one of those countries, with Kate Middleton replacing the Queen as Patron of Wimbledon's All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2016.
Fans were quick to spot Sharapova was not present in the recent parade of champions. Of the 26 Wimbledon winners who took part in the line-up, almost half (12) had won a solitary major crown in London.
Sharapova, 35, won the first of her five career Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon 2004 when she beat Serena Williams in straight sets. Spectators also spotted Sharapova—who was only 17 at the time of her maiden major title—was missing from a video montage celebrating past champions.
But the Daily Mail reported the invitation criteria was not as open as some might expect. For starters, the All England Club said only those former champions who would already be present at or close to this year's contest were asked to attend.
In regards to her montage omission, Wimbledon bosses suggested the video was not long enough to feature every past winner. Sharapova became the third-youngest woman to lift the Wimbledon crown at 17, trailing only Martina Hingis (1997) and Lottie Dod (1887).
It's worth noting Sharapova may not have been able to attend the event considering she is currently pregnant. The five-time Grand Slam winner has been in a relationship with fiance Alexander Gilkes since 2018, and the pair revealed in April 2022 that they were expecting their first child.
Sharapova was suspended for two years in early 2016 after she tested positive for meldonium, a banned substance in the United States but not in her birth country, Russia. Her ban was later reduced from 24 months to 15 months, but she retired in 2020, more than five years on from her last major trophy.
Mirror Sport has contacted Sharapova's representatives for comment.
