WTA chairman Steve Simon has warned Wimbledon and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to expect "strong reactions" to their decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from UK-based tournaments, including the grasscourt Grand Slam.
The All England Club (AELTC), which organises Wimbledon, and the LTA - the British tennis governing body - will not allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete in events in the UK due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The move was slammed by the ATP, which runs the men's tour, and the WTA as "discriminatory", with the world governing bodies saying they were evaluating sanctions in response.
Simon told The Tennis Podcast that the Wimbledon decision was against Grand Slam rules and the agreement they have with the tournament while the LTA, which has WTA sanctioned events, violated the bylaws and rules regarding athlete entry.
"We don't have the same jurisdiction over the Grand Slams as we do (over) our own sanctioned events. We have precedents ... where these situations may have occurred where fines and tournament sanctions have been imposed," Simon said.
"I do think that you'll see some strong reactions that will come from us but what those are and how far they'll go is still to be determined."
Tennis governing bodies have banned Russia and Belarus from international team competitions following the invasion, but individual players from the two countries are allowed to compete on their respective tours as neutrals.
Simon said both the ATP and the WTA are in discussions over the issue but the decisions will be independent.
The AELTC, in its statement announcing the decision, said it had to play its part in the efforts of government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to "limit Russia's global influence through the strongest means possible".
"People take the position that sports and politics shouldn't match and shouldn't be intertwined, but that's not the reality," Simon said.
"At times sports does cross into politics and here is a situation where politics is crossing into sports. It is real life.
"The one thing that this sport has always agreed upon, we don't agree on a lot of things, but the one thing we have always been united on was that entry into our events ... has always been based up on merit and without discrimination."
Andrey Rublev, the second-highest ranked Russian male player, blasted the decision to ban him and his compatriots.
"The reasons [Wimbledon] gave us had no sense, they were illogical," the world No 8 said. "What is happening now is complete discrimination against us."
Rublev's comments came after world No 1 Novak Djokovic offered similar criticism of the ban.
"I cannot support the decision of Wimbledon, I think it is crazy," said Djokovic, who faces Rublev in the Belgrade Open final on Sunday. "When politics interferes with sport, the result is not good."
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The years Ramadan fell in May
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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