Report: Wimbledon ban on Russian, Belarusian players will be reconsidered

The Break: Wimbledon makes a break from tradition

A repeat of Wimbledon's ban on Russian and Belarusian players is looking less likely, according to London's Daily Telegraph.

The All England Club, which runs Wimbledon, will consider allowing players from those nations to compete next year, following this year's decision to ban them because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Telegraph said that while no official decision has been reached, there is "little appetite within" the AELTC to extend the ban. The British grass-court events, run by the Lawn Tennis Association, also had a similar ban.

Among the considerations is the ongoing length of the conflict and the reaction of the ATP and WTA tours to the tournament's position. Citing the requirement that tournaments be open to all eligible players, the men's and women's tour stripped rankings from the LTA events and Wimbledon.

This week, the ATP announced a $1 million fine against the LTA, which runs British tennis, on top of a $750,000 fine previously announced by the WTA Tour. The ATP also said that it would consider removing the events from the tour if the ban was repeated.

Wimbledon's decision was in response to government directives not to allow Russians and Belarusians to play British sporting events unless they were demonstrably "neutral," with bans also backed by officials. The British government indicated this week that its position has not changed.

Except for British tournaments, tour events and Grand Slams have not had similar restrictions, but the two nations have been banned from team competitions.

The ATP said the fine would go towards aid for Ukraine.

The LTA has protested, saying the amount will affect its ability to hold Challenger events for lower-ranked players.