Former World No.1 Ilie Nastase has criticised the International Tennis Federation after he was banned from this year’s Wimbledon Championships on Wednesday.
Nastase, who has won over 100 ATP title during his career, is currently banned from ITF events following recent controversy. During Romania’s Fed Cup tie against Great Britain, the 70-year-old was removed after swearing at two members of the British team. During the same weekend, he also made a controversial comment about Serena Williams’ unborn baby. Nastase joked the child will be born ‘chocolate with milk.’
All England Club chairman Philip Brook confirmed that the two-time Wimbledon champion will not be receiving an invite for the Royal Box at SW19 this year.
“His actions were not very good and we condemn them. In terms of an invitation to the Royal Box, he is not going to receive an invitation this year,” Brook said.
The decision has prompted an angry response from the Romanian, accusing the ITF of favouritism. During an interview with Prosport.ro, Nastase said he believed that the governing body is punishing him because they are ‘99% English.’ The comment was in reference to his incident with the British Fed Cup team.
“The British Federation is also the International Federation, because at ITF 99% are English” he said.
Elaborating further, Nastase criticised Wimbledon’s stance, arguing that they had nothing to do with the ITF. He also accused them of turning their back on him. In 1973 13 out of 16 seeded players boycotted the tournament over the exclusion of Nikki Pilic. Nastase was one of the few that played, but was later fined by the ATP.
“What does Wimbledon have to do with what I said about Serena and at the match in Romania?” Nastase argues. “If I did something stupid at Wimbledon then I’d understand… But in this case, I don’t get it.
“In 1973, when everyone else refused to play at Wimbledon (because of a boycott by the Association of Tennis Professionals) but I did — does that not count for something?
“If they are going to be so small-minded about it, there’s nothing I can do.”
The ITF is conducting an ongoing investigation into Nastase, who is provisionally suspended. A ‘memorandum’ has been sent by the Romanian Tennis Federation to appeal the suspension, but no final decision has been made.
