Belarusian Sabalenka, a semi-finalist at the Grand Slam in 2021, was the highest ranked women's player impacted by the decision.

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tours have allowed Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutrals since the invasion of Ukraine, although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended that they should not compete altogether.

However, the Wimbledon ban has regularly come under fire from IOC President Thomas Bach, who has cited it as an example of "political interference" in sport.

British tennis' governing body the Lawn Tennis Association was fined by the WTA and ATP, and Wimbledon organisers the All England Lawn Tennis Club by the WTA.

The Grand Slam was also stripped of its ranking status.

Speaking to Australian newspaper The Age prior to the Australian Open later this month, Sabalenka argued that the decision failed to achieve anything.

"I’m just really disappointed sport is somehow in politics," she said.

"We’re just athletes playing their sport.

"That’s it.

"We’re not about politics.

"If all of us could do something, we would do it, but we have zero control.

"They banned us from Wimbledon, and what did it change?

"Nothing - they’re still doing this, and this is the sad [part] of this situation."

Sabalenka added that she hopes she will be permitted to play at Wimbledon this year because of its atmosphere, but claimed "the only thing I'll miss is the people" if she cannot play.

She also asserted that "no one supports war", but asked "why should we scream about that in every corner?"

Russia's US Open champion Daniil Medvedev and men's world number eight Andrey Rublev, and Belarus' two-time women's Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka were among the other impacted players at Wimbledon last year.

The women's singles tournament was won by a Russian-born player in Elena Rybakina, who has represented Kazakhstan since 2018.

Belarus Tennis Federation (BTF) chair Sergey Rutenko told the country's state-run news agency BelTA that "many players were shocked" by measures taken following the war in Ukraine, including requirements for them to compete as neutrals, and claimed that "behind the scenes, almost all functionaries, 90 per cent, said that these were wrong decisions".

Rutenko alleged that tennis officials were "under direct pressure from politicians".

"Once again, I want to emphasise that neither the BTF nor the Belarusian athletes have violated any rules, they act in accordance with existing laws and tournament rules," he said.

"Unfortunately, in reality we see double standards, everything is done to please politicians, to the detriment of the rights of athletes".

The BTF and the Russian Tennis Federation were suspended by the International Tennis Federation and banned from the Davis and Billie Jean King Cups following the invasion of Ukraine.