The All England Club, organisers of the Wimbledon Championships, announced on Monday that they have no plans to release a statement following the controversial exit of Belarusian tennis player Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka was booed off the court by sections of the crowd after her defeat to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina on Sunday.
In a thrilling three-set match on Court One, Svitolina emerged victorious, setting up a quarter-final clash with world number one Iga Swiatek. However, the match was overshadowed by political tensions, as Svitolina, in line with her previous actions, declined to shake hands with Azarenka in protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Belarus, a key military ally of Moscow, has also become embroiled in the ongoing conflict.
As Azarenka raised her hand in what appeared to be a gesture of respect towards Svitolina, she faced a chorus of boos from some sections of the crowd. The two-time Australian Open champion expressed her disappointment with the treatment she received, describing it as “unfair.” Azarenka remarked that the focus should be on the quality of the tennis rather than handshakes or the behaviour of the crowd, which she described as “quite drunk” towards the end.
Svitolina and other Ukrainian players had previously refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents during the French Open. Svitolina urged tennis governing bodies to clarify the position of Ukrainian players, highlighting the need for greater understanding among spectators.
However, All England Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton stated on Monday that Wimbledon had no intention of issuing a statement. Bolton emphasized that the reaction of players at the end of a match is a personal decision and that mandating specific behaviours is not desirable. She expressed confidence in Wimbledon’s knowledgeable audience, suggesting that they would generally understand the circumstances surrounding the players’ actions.
Bolton acknowledged the challenge of controlling the crowd and called for the focus to remain on the sporting action. She emphasized the incredible match witnessed on Number One Court, appealing for attention to be directed towards the tennis rather than the surrounding controversies.
Notably, this year’s Wimbledon Championships could potentially feature five players representing Russia or Belarus, a year after athletes from these two nations were banned from the tournament. When questioned about the possibility of presenting the trophy to a player from these nations, Bolton reaffirmed the club’s careful consideration of the decision to admit Russian and Belarusian players, stating their comfort with how the situation would unfold.
