AFP-YonhapIn 2013, Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky pulled off one of the greatest Wimbledon shocks when he demolished Roger Federer on Centre Court. Ten years on, Stakhovsky has exchanged his tennis whites for army fatigues as he fights with the Ukraine military against the Russian invaders. The bitter relations between Ukraine players on one side and Russian and Belarusian rivals on the other created a tournament-long sub-plot at the recent French Open. All Russian and Belarusian players taking part at Wimbledon this year have to sign a declaration of neutrality and demonstrate no links to state finance or sponsorship from companies under sanction. Svitolina, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2019, does not expect the British crowd to turn on her or other Ukraine players when they continue their policy of not shaking hands.

Source: The Times June 28, 2023 16:17 UTC