Swiss again come out with shocking claims: "Novak Djokovic is preparing to boycott Wimbledon"

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Wimbledon heads have decided to ban Russian and Belarus tennis players from participating in the third Grand Slam of the season, and this decision has created a big storm in the tennis world.

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The Swiss daily Blick went a step further and published an article saying that Novak Djokovic is "preparing to boycott Wimbledon" because of this, stating that Novak should consider participating in this tournament, and adding that Nikola Pilic advised the world No. 1 not to appear at this tournament!

"The suspension of Russian and Belarus tennis players from Wimbledon has caused serious reactions. Now Novak Djokovic is reconsidering his participation. There could be a boycott by the best tennis player in the world. That is what Serbian (Croatian) coach Nikola Pilic says," the Blick article goes on, and they refer to Pilic's statement that tennis players should raise their voices, stand by their Russian and Belarus colleagues, and see the reaction of Wimbledon.

Novak is supposed to defend the title he won last year in London, and during this month's Serbia Open he clearly stated his position and spoke out against the exclusion of tennis players from Wimbledon on political grounds.

"When I say politics, there is politics in sport. Governing bodies and organizations, the structures are there. Politics is a general term. It's not good when politics from a higher level is meddling in our sport. I stand by what I said, there is no need to suspend athletes, especially tennis players. I don't see how they contribute to anything that is happening in a war. In tennis, we have a rule that there is no discrimination: the rule is to play according to ranking, not nationality. Wimbledon broke that rule. The ATP and the PTPA have come out wit their statements, and I supported that," said Novak.

(Telegraf.rs)