Daniil Medvedev cracks Wimbledon ban joke after playing golf with ex-Man Utd star

Daniil Medvedev appears to be in good spirits despite being banned from Wimbledon. The All England Club barred all players from Russia and Belarus in response to the war in Ukraine, meaning the world No 1 has been left unable to compete, but has been spending time on the grass with former Manchester United star Bastian Schweinsteiger instead.

Medvedev has enjoyed the one of the best grass seasons of his career this year despite being unable to play Wimbledon with Russian players banned. The 26-year-old reached back-to-back finals in 's-Hertogenbosch and Halle, as well as the quarter-final in Mallorca.

But he will be unable to back up his success on the surface at the All England Club, though that hasn't deterred the world No 1 from staying on the grass while the rest of his colleagues compete at Wimbledon. The Russian shared a joke on his Instagram as he hit the golf course instead of the tennis court.

"Can't leave grass," he wrote with a laughing-crying emoji alongside two photos of himself playing golf with former professional football player Bastian Schweinsteiger. And several Russian tennis players also joined in with the joke in the comments.

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Elina Vesnina wrote: "The swing is perfect for tennis," while Karen Khachanov said: "You're still a golfer." Medvedev had previously shared his wish to compete at Wimbledon this year, despite the ATP and WTA removing all ranking points on offer as a sanction to the All England Club for banning Russian and Belarusian players.

"I would like to play in Wimbledon, even if there are no points at stake," he said during the French Open. But the world No 1 has still weighed in on who his favourites are for