"I feel at this point we allow them to play" - Todd Woodbridge on the possible ban of Russian players including Daniil Medvedev 

In a recent interview on Nine's Sports Sunday, Todd Woodbridge spoke about a potential ban on Russian tennis players, including Daniil Medvedev, should they fail to publicly denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin. Pointing out that tennis is an "individual sport," Woodbridge said Russian players should be allowed to play since it's difficult for them to take a stand.

Russia ordered a special military operation in Ukraine last month and has bombed several of its key cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv. As a result, the sports fraternity has come together to stand up for Ukraine, with discussions ongoing about whether tournaments should host Russian players or not.

Recently, British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston stated that the government needs "some potential assurances" from Russian players that they are not supporters of Putin. He also hinted that failure to do so might make them ineligible to feature at Wimbledon this year.

Woodbridge was of the opinion that Russian players should be allowed to feature at various tournaments.

He also pointed out that it could be dangerous for Russian athletes to denounce their president, as their families could "pay a price."

"That is such slippery and dangerous ground. We all know they have families back in whatever part of Russia they are from, and you do not want to be on the wrong side of that, because your family will pay a price. This is really dangerous territory, and one that we have to be very sensitive about," said Woodbridge.

"It's an individual sport. I feel at this point we allow them to play. Andrey Rublev this week made it through to a semi final. It's really hard if we go down that line."

Woodbridge also emphasized that many tennis players don't reside in the country of their birth. The Aussie cited his own example of having lived in the United States for 11 years during his career.

Todd Woodbridge at the 2022 ATP Cup

"Teams are different, that is national representation. Individuals are different. A lot of them don't live in that country... as an example, for 11 years of my career I lived in the United States. I feel it has to be let's see what happens over the coming months, and then we'll be able to make a better decision," concluded Woodbridge.

Daniil Medvedev will lose the No. 1 ranking to Novak Djokovic after an early exit at Indian Wells

Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Indian Wells Masters

Following his third-round loss at the hands of Gael Monfils at the Indian Wells Masters, Medvedev will be dethroned from the No. 1 position in the ATP rankings after just three weeks on Monday.

The Russian will drop 205 points, bringing his tally to 8,410. He will therefore find himself 55 points behind Novak Djokovic, who currently has 8,465 ATP points to his name.

Daniil Medvedev will next feature at the Miami Open, where he can reclaim the No. 1 position by reaching the semifinals.

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Also Check Out: Indian Wells Masters 2022 Schedule