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Russian tennis player Anastasia Potapova suggests she would have no issues signing a neutrality declaration but added she also doesn't see how that changes anything. On March 31st, Wimbledon officially confirmed that Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to return to The Championships in 2023.
But it has also been said that Russian and Belarusian players will be mandated to sign "a neutrality declaration." By signing the declaration, Russian and Belarusian players would agree not to give support to the regimes of their respective countries.
Also, the declaration requires them not to be financially supported by the regimes or companies closely linked.
Potapova on the Wimbledon situation
"I read about this in the media, but personally no one from the WTA has approached me and said: 'Here, Nastya, in a month we will send a paper to the post office, you will need to sign it.
I will sign it, but who will be easier from it? It won’t end, it won’t change anything. I have repeatedly expressed my opinion about everything that happens. And like any reasonable person, I am against what is happening.
But if you have to sign (a declaration) to go to England, I think all of us will. Because after all, we are athletes, our age is not so long, and we want to play as much as possible. Especially when it comes to the Grand Slam tournament," Potapova cold Championat.
Potapova, 22, enjoyed success at Wimbledon as a junior player. In 2016, Potapova won the Wimbledon girls' singles title. As a pro, Potapova has played at Wimbledon three times. In 2017, Potapova qualified for the Wimbledon main draw before losing in the first round.
Two years later, Potapova clinched her first Wimbledon win as a pro after beating Jil Teichmann in the first round. Potapova exited the tournament in the next round after losing to Petra Martic. In 2021, Potapova made her third Wimbledon appearance - which ended after a first-round loss to Donna Vekic.