Wimbledon vetoes Russia... but a Moscow-born tennis player wins!

Wimbledon organizers suffered their worst nightmare with the victory of Moscow-born Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, after they vetoed Russian tennis players on the advice of the British government in a controversial decision that cost it ATP and WTA ranking points.

In a bold move in April, the organization decided to ban the entry of Russians and Belarusians due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, in this political context, it is ironic that the first singles winner of the 2022 Championships was none other than a Moscow-born player!

Elena Rybakina rises to the occasion ✨

In its centenary year, Centre Court crowns a new Ladies’ Singles champion#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/Wabfr0GTdS

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2022

Elena Rybakina, who grew up in the Russian capital and still resides there, added her name to the tournament trophy cabinet for the first time after a well-deserved 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Ons Jabeur of Tunisia. 

Although she has been representing Kazakhstan internationally since 2018, the symbolism did not go unnoticed when the Duchess of Cambridge presented her with the Venus Rosewater plate on center court. This image, which went around the world, is precisely what the All England Club did not want when it banned competitors from Russia.

Although her £2 million earnings will be taxed by the UK government, it will no doubt be very upsetting for tennis officials to hand over this huge check to someone with such close ties to Putin’s government. 

As tennis icon John McEnroe told the BBC, "I don't want to get into politics, but she's Russian. Her parents live in Moscow."

The touch of a champion 🤌​

Elena Rybakina's cute winner is our Play of the Day#Wimbledon | @HSBC_Sport pic.twitter.com/Gz4pEaROD6

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2022

Many in the 15,000-seat venue expected the world No. 2 Tunisian to stroll to victory at Wimbledon after winning the first set. But then nerves set in and Rybakina came from behind to take the crown. For the seventh time this century and the second time in a row, a women's final required three sets to be decided.

Rybakina, who refused to celebrate the match point of this controversial victory, became the youngest Wimbledon champion at 23 since Czech Petra Kvitova, then 21, in 2011. But beyond that, it is the ramifications of this politically incorrect success that will be remembered and debated for years to come in the cathedral of tennis.