[ad_1]
The French Open is underway at present, however a lot of the speak has been concerning the grand slam that follows.
Key factors:
- Novak Djokovic plans on defending his Wimbledon title
- Naomi Osaka says with no rankings factors, Wimbledon shall be like an exhibition occasion
- Djokovic says the present scenario with Wimbledon is a “lose-lose” scenario
The choice by the ATP and WTA to take away rankings factors from Wimbledon has been a divisive one. The game’s governing our bodies made the decision in response to the All England Membership banning Russian and Belarusian gamers in April because of the invasion of Ukraine.
World primary Novak Djokovic plans on defending his Wimbledon title, regardless that he’ll forfeit the two,000 rankings factors he gained final yr. The Serb misplaced one other 2,000 factors when he was unable to play on this yr’s Australian Open on account of his unvaccinated standing.
The shortage of rankings factors is prone to lead to Djokovic shedding his primary rating to Russian Daniil Medvedev.
“It is a very distinctive and bizarre scenario,” Djokovic stated after his first-round win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at Roland Garros.
“A grand slam remains to be a grand slam, Wimbledon for me was all the time my dream event once I was a toddler.
“I do not take a look at it by way of the lens of factors or prize cash, for me, it is one thing else.”
4-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka stated she was weighing up whether or not to play a Wimbledon event that she stated can be “extra like an exhibition” with none rankings factors on provide.
Djokovic stated he can perceive gamers having reservations however is happy that the lads’s and girls’s excursions have despatched a message to Wimbledon.
“I am glad gamers received along with the ATP and confirmed to the grand slam that when there’s a mistake taking place — and there was from the Wimbledon aspect — there’s going to be some penalties,” stated Djokovic.
“I help the gamers, unification. I’ve all the time performed that, I will all the time do this.”
World quantity 5 Rafael Nadal made a robust begin to the French Open with a straight-sets demolition of Australian Jordan Thompson.
After the match, the 13-time champion additionally discovered himself speaking concerning the rankings-free Wimbledon.
“I respect and perceive Wimbledon’s place indisputably,” Nadal stated in his post-match media convention.
“Then again, I perceive and respect that the ATP is defending their members.
“It is not that one is doing a adverse factor and one is doing the nice factor.
“Hopefully, ATP and Wimbledon could be collectively and sit collectively and negotiate a greater future for either side.”
Wimbledon accused of a scarcity of communication
Six-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic stated he had heard that the event may have explored different choices, resembling holding an exhibition occasion concurrently for the excluded gamers.
“Just a few days in the past I discovered there was a doc of advice from the English authorities in direction of the All England Membership the place they’d a number of choices, there was not just one on the desk,” stated Djokovic.
“They usually have not mentioned it with anybody from the ATP, any particular person gamers or for that matter Russian and Belarusian gamers to only talk or perceive whether or not there’s widespread floor the place either side could possibly be making a compromise.
British primary Cameron Norrie and Australia’s top-ranked feminine Ajla Tomljanovic are two gamers who’ve been important of the transfer to strip Wimbledon of rankings factors.
Djokovic acknowledges some gamers shall be extra impacted than others.
“It is a super-sensitive topic and no matter you resolve, it is going to create plenty of battle, plenty of separation as an alternative of unification,” stated Djokovic.
“There’s all the time going to be some teams of gamers who’re going to be affected extra negatively and they’ll complain extra.
“It is laborious actually, it is laborious to say what is true, what’s fallacious.
“That is one among these varieties of selections and conditions the place there’s all the time going to be somebody that may endure extra so it is type of a lose-lose scenario actually.”
[ad_2]
Source link