Olympia 2020: Special permit for Roger Federer?
Actually, it requires regular participation in the Davis Cup for the start at the Olympics. But Roger Federer could also get another place in the field of Tokyo 2020 on another way.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Oct 15, 2019, 11:21 am
2015 saw the final appearance of Roger Federer in the Swiss Davis Cup team. At that time he won the title in Lille alongside Stan Wawrinka, winning the third singles match against Richard Gasquet for an unassailable 3-1 lead. Since then, the now 38-year-old has focused on his collection of titles on the ATP Tour - and Grand Slam tournaments. And just the latter could Federer now open the door to Tokyo 2020.
Just there, the 20-time major champion announced on Monday his decision to want to compete again at the Olympic Games. It would be the fifth time for Federer, so far he could win two medals: 2008 with Wawrinka double gold in Beijing, 2012 single silver in London. In Rio de Janeiro Federer was injured due to injury, in hindsight, not a major failure, as he had noted at the US Open: After all, he had heard that Rio was not worth the trip for the tennis players.
Djokovic, Nadal, Murray meet criteria of the ITF
But the Olympic Games, as well as the four Grand Slam tournaments and the Davis Cup, are being hosted by the International Tennis Federation, the ITF. And it is precisely this ITF calling for potential Olympic starters to participate in the Davis Cup during the last two years before the Games. Roger Federer does not fulfill this criterion.
However, there are several backdoors - one of which will probably secure the Swiss a place in the Japanese capital. The ITF keeps a wildcard spot open to a player who has won a Grand Slam title in singles. And the deadline, June 8, 2020, puts it among the top 300 players in the world. After Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray meet the Davis Cup criteria (and probably will all be at the finals in Madrid), only the three other active players who have won a major are eligible for this place: Juan Martin del Potro, Stan Wawrinka and just Federer. Wawrinka has not competed for Switzerland since the 2015 final. And del Potro's last Davis Cup appearance dates from 2016 - when he won the title with Argentina in Zagreb.