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Kwon Soon-woo loses round of 32 match at Barcelona Open

Published: 21 Apr. 2022, 14:25 Updated: 21 Apr. 2022, 16:20

Kwon Soon-woo in action against Carlos Alcaraz Garfia of Spain during their match at the Barcelona Open in Barcelona, Spain on Wednesday. [EPA/YONHAP]

Kwon Soon-woo dropped out of the round of 32 at the ATP Tour Barcelona Open 2022 on Wednesday, losing 2-1 to Carlos Alcaraz Garfia of Spain at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.

Kwon conceded the first set 6-1, won the second set 6-2, then lost the last set 6-2. Kwon beat Benoit Paire of France in two straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, in the round of 64 to advance to the round of 32 at the Barcelona Open.

The Open is played on clay courts, Kwon's worst surface, at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.

Unlike other sports, regular ATP Tour events like the Barcelona Open have permitted Russian and Belarusian tennis players to compete. Bucking that trend, the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club announced Wednesday that Russian and Belarusian players will be banned from competing at Wimbledon this year because of the invasion of Ukraine.

Men's singles No. 2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia and women's singles No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus are the highest-ranked players to be affected by this ban. Only players will be affected, with coaches, referees and staff still able to join the tournament.

As reported by the BBC, the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club said it had a responsibility to "limit Russia's global influence through the strongest means possible."

"In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players," read a statement from the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.

"It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to Wimbledon."

Wimbledon runs from June 27 to July 10 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [[email protected]]