Chris Evert hails Wimbledon's decision to fund accommodation for Ukrainian players in 2023

Chris Evert is impressed by Wimbledon’s latest decision to bear the cost of accommodation for Ukrainian participants during the 2023 edition.

On Tuesday, April 25, it was announced that the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC), in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), will be funding accommodation for Ukrainian tennis players, which includes Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, Lesia Tsurenko and Dayana Yastremska.

The decision comes after the organizers had to reluctantly reverse their ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes -- who were forced to miss the 2022 edition due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In an official statement, Ian Hewitt, the chairman of AELTC, specified that the cost of two rooms for all main draw and qualifying players, as well as their teams, will be borne by the two organizing bodies throughout the grass court season. It was also stated that, after the French Open and in the weeks leading up to Wimbledon, Ukrainian players will enjoy access to the practice courts.

Hewitt also noted that the AELTC and the LTA will be donating £1 to Ukrainian Relief for each ticket holder during this year’s Wimbledon Championships, resulting in an estimated donation of more than £500,000.

The news received a positive response from three-time Wimbledon champion Chris Evert, who lauded the tournament’s effort for Ukraine on social media.

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"We want to play as much as possible" – Rising Russian star Anastasia Potapova on signing the neutrality agreement to contest Wimbledon

Players such as Victoria Azarenka, Aryna Sabalenka, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev suffered the consequences of the 2022 ban

On March 31, 2023, Wimbledon released a statement confirming that it had overturned the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes – which, according to chairman Ian Hewitt, “was an incredibly difficult decision.”

The announcement was followed by numerous conditions put in place for players from the two aggressor countries. The main condition is that they will be allowed to participate in the tournament only after signing a declaration of neutrality, meaning, no country name or flag can be associated with the competitor.

World No. 25 Anastasia Potapova responded to the decision by stating that the athletes have repeatedly expressed their disapproval of the war and are willing to sign the agreement if it is a necessary condition.

"If it is necessary to sign to go to Wimbledon, we will all do it, in the end we are athletes and we want to play as much as possible, especially in Grand Slam tournaments," she said. "I have repeatedly expressed my opinion about everything that happens, I am against the war like any reasonable person."

Apart from the neutrality agreement, players will also be prohibited from receiving funds from either of the two countries, as well as businesses closely related to them. Moreover, flags showing support for the Russians and Belarusians will not be allowed on the SW19 premises.