World number one Novak Djokovic said Wimbledon's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine is "crazy".
Wimbledon announced on Wednesday that it had barred all Russian and Belarusian players from this year's championships due to the invasion, which Russia calls a "special operation".
Players from the two nations have been allowed to continue playing under a neutral flag and the ban was condemned by the ATP and WTA.
The grasscourt Grand Slam is the first tennis tournament to ban individual competitors from the two countries, meaning men's world number two Daniil Medvedev from Russia and women's fourth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will be banned from the 27 June to 10 July tournament.
Djokovic, who grew up in war-torn Serbia, said the athletes had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict.
"I will always condemn war, I will never support war being myself a child of war," Djokovic told reporters at the Serbia Open, an ATP 250 event in Belgrade.
"I know how much emotional trauma it leaves. In Serbia we all know what happened in 1999. In the Balkans we have had many wars in recent history.
"However, I cannot support the decision of Wimbledon, I think it is crazy. When politics interferes with sport, the result is not good."
The All England Lawn Tennis Club's (AELTC) decision has been criticised by the ATP and WTA tours.
The move is the first time players have been banned on the grounds of nationality since the immediate post-World War Two era when German and Japanese players were excluded.
The AELTC said it would "consider and respond accordingly" if circumstances change between now and June.
The Belarusian Tennis Federation is seeking legal advice over Wimbledon's ban on players from the country while the WTA is threatening "strong reactions" over the decision.
The two bodies announced on Wednesday that players from Russia and Belarus will not be able to enter this summer’s grass-court events because of the actions taken by their countries in Ukraine.
Speaking after beating Jiri Lehecka at the Serbian Open, Rublev told reporters: "Yesterday we had a call, a few players and Wimbledon, just about the situation and how maybe we can see some solutions and to be honest the reasons that they give, there is no meaning, not even logic what they proposed."
It had previously been suggested Russian and Belarusian players could be allowed to play if they denounced the invasion of Ukraine, and Rublev added: "I understand if they ban us and at least it would make half a per cent of change but it’s not going to do anything.
"I was trying to explain that maybe if we want really to help – because the thing that happens now is completely discrimination of us, and this is not I think what the England government is proposing.
"If there’s a statement that we need to sign, and on top of that to give all the prize money to humanitarian help, to the families who are suffering, to the kids who are suffering, I think that move at least will do something."
Martina Navratilova also condemned Wimbledon’s stance on Wednesday while leading Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina, who has criticised Russian and Belarusian players for not publicly coming out against the invasion, also did not support the move, telling the BBC: "We don’t want them banned completely."
Writing on Twitter, WTA founder Billie Jean King wrote: "One of the guiding principles of the founding of the WTA was that any girl in the world, if she was good enough, would have a place to compete.
"I stood by that in 1973 and I stand by that today. I cannot support the banning of individual athletes from any tournament simply because of their nationality."
