Tennis 2010: Roger Federer ticks Swiss officials off
After having lost to the Kazakhstani team at the Davis Cup, the Swiss team is a bit upset with Roger Federer, as the officials have demanded answers off the sportsman, after he chose to retract from the Davis Cup team for Switzerland.
President of the Swiss Tennis Federation René Stammbach stated that they wanted answers from Federer about whether he is going to be part of the team or not. Additionally, Stammbach said that Roger’s decision will be respected either way.
Furthermore, René instructed Swiss team captain Severin Luthi to have a word with Federer in this regard. Stammbach also exclaimed, “At the end of the day it’s always going to be his decision – we don’t have a contract with him. We’re just depending on his
good will. If he wants to defend the colours of the country, that’s up to him. “It’s not that we absolutely want to force him to say ‘yes’. We can’t expect that from him. But we would like to know what the goal is in his head – is it still to reach the semi-finals
or finals of the World Group or even winning it?”
Apart from 2010, Federer has made very few appearances at the Davis Cup, once per season at the maximum, since 1999. Federer defeated Italy’s Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-4 in a Davis Cup encounter in 1999. That game was followed by a 6-1 win in the deciding third
set of the first round of the World Group playoffs.
Federer then defeated Potito Starace from Italy 6-3, 6-0 and 6-4 to defeat Starace in the playoffs.
However, as per the International Tennis Federation regulations, Roger Federer must make at least one appearance at the Davis Cup before the 2012 London season.
On the contrary, René Stammbach went on to remind everyone of all that the sportsman has achieved. “Don’t forget what he has done for tennis in general and tennis and particularly for Switzerland as well. – How can one be angry at a guy like that?” said
Stammbach. He further went on to say that no one else has done as much as Federer has, for tennis.
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