Andy Murray blasts back at Naomi Osaka saying: ‘Wimbledon will never be an exhibition’
Andy Murray has dismissed any idea that Wimbledon will ever feel like ‘an exhibition’ as players continue to lash out over the loss of rankings points.
The Championships were stripped of the rankings points in response to them banning Russian and Belarusian players over the crisis in Ukraine.
That has led to some players, such as four-time major winner, Naomi Osaka, say she is unlikely to play Wimbledon this year since it cannot help her world ranking.
“I feel like if I play Wimbledon without points, it’s more like an exhibition,” Osaka said. “I know this isn’t true, right? But my brain just like feels that way. Whenever I think like something is like an exhibition, I just can’t go at it 100%.
“I didn’t even make my decision yet, but I’m leaning more towards not playing given the current circumstances.”
Murray, though, is having none of that, saying it is an iconic sporting tournament for which rankings points are the bonus, not the purpose.
“I follow golf very closely and have no idea how many ranking points the winner of the The Masters gets,” Andy Murray said on social media.
I follow golf very closely and have no idea how many ranking points the winner of the @TheMasters gets.
Me and my friends love football and non of us know or care how many ranking points a team gets for winning the @FIFAWorldCup— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) May 25, 2022
“Me and my friends love football and non of us know or care how many ranking points a team gets for winning the World Cup.
“But I could tell you exactly who won the World Cup and the Masters.
“I’d hazard a guess that most people watching on centre court Wimbledon in a few weeks time wouldn’t know or care about how many ranking points a player gets for winning a third round match
“But I guarantee they will remember who wins. Wimbledon will never be an exhibition and will never feel like an exhibition. The end.”
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