Reaction continues to Wimbledon's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from the 2022 event, with Elina Monfils urging people to speak out against the invasion of Ukraine and tennis great Billie Jean King saying the decision is a mistake.
Ukraine's Elina Monfils says Russian and Belarusian tennis players who denounce Moscow's invasion of her country should be allowed to play at Wimbledon.
World number 25 Monfils — formerly Svitolina — joined fellow Ukrainian players on Wednesday in seeking a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions but appeared to soften her stance in an interview with the BBC on Thursday. "We don't want them banned completely," Monfils said. "If players don't speak out against the Russian government then it is the right thing to ban them.
"We just want them to speak up, if they are with us and the rest of the world or the Russian government. This is for me the main point. "If they didn't choose, didn't vote for this government, then it's fair they should be allowed to play and compete."