Del Potro Won’t Play Davis Cup This Year; Still Angry With Federation

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 19th February 2014

Del Potro Won’t Play Davis Cup This Year; Still Angry With Federation

epa04077303 Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro reacts during his quarter-final match against Latvian Ernests Gulbis for the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 14 February 2014. EPA/KOEN SUYK |

After Argentina fell to Italy 3-1 at home at the start of February and was forced into a World Group playoff, Argentine Tennis Federation chief Arturo Grimaldi said he was willing to sit down with his top player, Juan Martin Del Potro and try and work something out for the next tie, which will be held in September.

Apparently, nothing positive occurred because on Monday, Del Potro – who did not play against Italy – said that he will not play Davis Cup for the rest of 2014.

He is still angry with the federation and Captain Martin Jaite, whom he says essentially have betrayed him publicly in the past. He says that specific journalists were contacted to make him look bad to the public by questioning his motivates for not playing. He says that he has never been seriously consulted on the choice of surface sites or the captain. He and Jaite don’t see eye to eye. He has not played a tie since 2012.

“In November I wrote a letter showing my displeasure with the double standards and hypocrisy prevailing around Davis Cup,” he said. “Since then, nothing has changed, but has gotten worse. Profound changes are needed to correct the mistakes that have been repeated over the years. I will not allow my name used to justify accusations that are a smoke screen. I never asked to name a captain and always respected the decisions of others, even if they have not respected me. Out of consideration for the people who follow me, who enjoy tennis, who have a memory and know what I’ve done in the Davis Cup and Olympic Games, for the sake of the silent majority who like this sport and to stay far away from insulting rivals or punish someone from their country, I will not play the Davis Cup for the rest of 2014.”

Interestingly, Del Potro does have good relationships with some other players such as Carlos Berlocq, Leonardo Mayer and Federico Delbonis.

“Every tie needs Del Potro and we know that if the team is more powerful we have more possibilities,” Berloq told Clarin.

After the loss to Italy, Grimaldi said that he is willing to sit down as many times as necessary with Del Potro. “I don’t want to pressure him and put him in a difficult situation,” he said, but I want him to put the team on his shoulders and put Davis Cup on his calendar without feeling it is going to affect his maximum goal to be the best player in the world. I will ask what Juan Martin wants and we will act within reason . We all want Del Potro to play Davis Cup again.”

However, Grimaldi added that Jaite’s captain position isn’t negotiable in a public forum.

“This issue I would rather not talk about publicly. I have great respect for him , I feel he is a good person, and when he loses he is a gentleman. I am at his disposal.”

Topics: 10sballs, Arturo Grimaldi, Carlos Berlocq, Davis Cup, Federico Delbonis, Juan Martin Del Potro, Leonardo Mayer, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

February 19, 2014 at 10:14 am

Del Potro Won’t Play Davis Cup This Year; Still Angry With Federation – http://t.co/TkfjqQSwqV @delpotrojuan @DavisCup #tennis #news