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.
