Wimbledon ranking points decision ‘shameful’ as Novak Djokovic situation called ‘absurd’

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Andrew Castle has branded the decision to strip Wimbledon of ranking points as “shameful.” And the former tennis star thinks it’s “absurd” that Novak Djokovic could win the tournament and still fall down the world rankings.

The ATP and WTA both decided that players won’t be handed any points for their performances at Wimbledon this year after the All England Club banned Russia and Belarusian players from competing following the attack on Ukraine. Many players backed the organisations’ stance after criticising Wimbledon for theirs. But Castle doesn’t think Wimbledon should have been sanctioned.

“The decision by the ATP, the WTA and the ITF governing bodies to withdraw ranking points from Wimbledon in response to the tournament barring Russian and Belarusian players is short-sighted and should be condemned by any observer that can see life and death outside of their little bubble,” Castle wrote in his opinion column for the Metro.

“Wimbledon is not perfect – and I only speak for myself despite being a member of the club – but in this instance a moral and principled stand has been taken in the face of unspeakable savagery and military aggression.

“That the ATP and WTA should only have vision to the end of their noses is shameful. They talk in reverential tones about the integrity of their ranking system while the bodies of men, women and children are being exhumed from shallow graves.

“On top of all this Novak Djokovic, who is on the player council and thinks the points decision is correct and above board, could successfully defend his Wimbledon title but lose the 2,000 points he won a year earlier and as a result see Russia’s Daniil Medvedev become world No.1 without hitting a ball. The whole situation is absurd.”

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Djokovic landed his 20th Grand Slam trophy last year when he won the Wimbledon title for the sixth time.

And the star, who is currently looking to get his hands on the French Open trophy, will be among the favourites to win this year’s SW19 tournament when it gets underway next month.

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