Daniil Medvedev has shared his honest view about the ATP's decision to strip Wimbledon of ranking points at this year's tournament.
Medvedev is among a slew of Russian and Belarusian players who are prohibited from competing at this year's Wimbledon after the All England Club undertook a controversial decision to impose a ban on athletes from the two countries because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The ATP took a hard stance in retaliation by removing ranking points from the tournament, which is scheduled to begin in late June. In its statement, the ATP explained that Wimbledon organizers' decision "undermines the principle and the integrity of the ATP Ranking system."
Medvedev was recently quizzed about this development for the first time because the last time he spoke to the media was in Geneva, and the points-stripping decision would be made a day later.
The Russian sat on the fence regarding his assessment of which body made the correct decision, but he opined that the ATP's decision was a "logical" one based on their explanation.
"When I read the FAQ, on why the ATP took their decision, I found what they say very logical. This is what I didn’t find in Wimbledon’s explanations. I’m not saying one’s decision is right, but at least, so far, when they explain it, I found the ATP more logical."
Although Wimbledon chiefs have previously discussed the possibility of lifting the ban in the event things return to normal in the ongoing war in Ukraine, there is a high chance it won't happen.
Ironically, Medvedev could still benefit from the ATP rule because it would mean that World No. 1 Novak Djokovic would lose all 2000 points from the tournament as the defending champion. In that case, he could potentially become the new World No. 1, although he reiterated that he wants to play.
"I’d be really happy to play Wimbledon. I love playing on grass, I will play on grass after Roland-Garros. If I cannot, I will prepare for the next tournaments and follow what happens."
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