Russian Daniil Medvedev still yearns to play at Wimbledon next month and finds the situation "very strange" that he could climb to the top of the men's rankings, even if excluded from the grasscourt Grand Slam.
The ATP and WTA last week took away ranking points from Wimbledon, after the organisers' decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from participating over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which Russia calls a "special operation".
Medvedev briefly took over as world No.1 from Novak Djokovic earlier in 2022 and will be the highest-ranked player to miss out on the major.
Djokovic, who will lose the 2000 points he earned by lifting the trophy last year, is among many players who could drop down the rankings, paving the way for Medvedev to overtake him.
"Very strange," said a smiling Medvedev, when asked about him returning to the top of the rankings without even playing at Wimbledon. "I need to be honest, I'd be really happy to play Wimbledon.
"I love Wimbledon, I love playing on grass. I will play on grass [elsewhere], after Roland Garros, but if I cannot, I'm just going to prepare for the next tournaments and just follow what's happening there.
"There are no points, I become No.1... well, great for me. If there are points, I cannot become No.1, I'm going to be gutted.
"It is what it is. I cannot change some decisions, both about ATP and Wimbledon."
The Wimbledon ban is the first time players have been excluded on grounds of nationality since the immediate post-World War Two era, when German and Japanese players were banned.
Reuters
