Bedene- I may switch back to Slovenia

Owen42 · Social player

Bedene- I may switch back to Slovenia

PockyTastic · Futures level

Not going to jump into this one fully, but I agree with his comment regarding the media referring to him constantly as "Slovenian born". Jo gets the same treatment, and it must wear you down slowly.

Jaffa · Challenger level

Coup Droit wrote:
Go vote in a week's time and change things, Mark.
Add: I know what you mean, Jaffa. But - if you look at Cameron's story, for instance - it comes across very much as that it was the LTA who sought him out, and courted him, and promised to help etc. I know one other young foreign player where similar approaches were made (who hasn't changed). So if Bedene was here, and the LTA were bending over backwards to get him on board, I'm not sure it's his fault. I'm not saying he's not looking after number one, it's normal, just that the LTA seem very, very eager to try and bolster their numbers.
NB Re Mark, and just to be clear - you can be true Brit and still criticise the laws (obviously). But it's the laws you're criticising, not the person who respects the laws (Bedene).
As an aside, I often wonder why people think that being born in a country should confer nationality. It's a pretty fleeting event (in the scheme of things). And at a completely unimpressionable age. Surely residence at a more useful age is more useful in forming that person and their connections.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 31st of May 2017 09:17:12 AM

CD - I agree with most of what you say generally, but I'm afraid I really disagree on this particular issue, which is what the board is all about

I wouldn't say the LTA bent backwards as as you say it was in their interest. That said do you not think Alexa should show loylty for what they have done for him?! I'd certainly say so!!

Theres also no proof in your sentence that the LTA 'sought' him out. That may well have been the case for Cam but I feel you have to treat this on a case by case basis.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Jaffa, we don't really disagree. Or not that much

I wasn't saying that the LTA actually DID seek out Bedene - I've no idea - I was saying that they might have done, given Cam's story and one other player I know. And that, IF they did, it doesn't seem to me to be quite the same as if if were Bedene who was making all the running. i.e I realise it's not quite logical but I don't think he owes them the same loyalty if it were them who were doing all the chasing. (And, yes, if it were Bedene who was begging for favours from the LTA, then I would feel a little different).

My feeling is clear: as long as he plays for Britain, fair and square, he gets my support. If he changes, he won't, as such (although I'll still notice him in the crowd of others and hope life/tennis is treating him well, more so than for anonymous players whom I don't know from Adam). It's the same as Izzy Wallace - her name jumps out when I see the draws and results, and I wish her well, but I don't 'support' her as such now. But if she switched back to British tomorrow, I would.

My only exception to this if people who get special treatment as regards nationality. i.e. Zola Budd (for those old enough to remember) and anyone else who is fast-tracked through, just so they can play for Britain quicker than they should, or would if they were Joe Schmo.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Here is the reason we shouldn't read too much into one interview, or a random hypothetical comment. Here is today's report.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/40113307

Here are a couple of phrases from the article.

Aljaz Bedene was knocked out of the French Open in the second round by Jiri Vesely - but then said he "will fight" to represent Britain over his native Slovenia.

"I really want to play for Great Britain and I'm still hoping," he said.

"I haven't really thought anything outside of that."

Strikes me that his desire to play for GB is as strong as ever, but that the frustration is clearly there and that will naturally appear in conversation from time to time. To me he is a player who, given his chance, would represent us with pride and passion.

When a reporter asks too many "What if ..." questions, you will soon get a hypothetical comment which is then blown out of all proportion.

TMH · Futures qualifying

Indeed.

Lovely to see all the closet racists come out of the woodwork though.

indiana · Tennis legend

TMH wrote:
Indeed.

Lovely to see all the closet racists come out of the woodwork though.

While personally, as I have indicated, I am sympathetic to Aljaz who finds himself in a difficult position for a number of reasons, I see very little in the arguments I disagree which I would remotely call racist. Some re representation for different countries very clearly are not.

Jaffa · Challenger level

Coup Droit wrote:
Jaffa, we don't really disagree. Or not that much

I wasn't saying that the LTA actually DID seek out Bedene - I've no idea - I was saying that they might have done, given Cam's story and one other player I know. And that, IF they did, it doesn't seem to me to be quite the same as if if were Bedene who was making all the running. i.e I realise it's not quite logical but I don't think he owes them the same loyalty if it were them who were doing all the chasing. (And, yes, if it were Bedene who was begging for favours from the LTA, then I would feel a little different).

My feeling is clear: as long as he plays for Britain, fair and square, he gets my support. If he changes, he won't, as such (although I'll still notice him in the crowd of others and hope life/tennis is treating him well, more so than for anonymous players whom I don't know from Adam). It's the same as Izzy Wallace - her name jumps out when I see the draws and results, and I wish her well, but I don't 'support' her as such now. But if she switched back to British tomorrow, I would.

My only exception to this if people who get special treatment as regards nationality. i.e. Zola Budd (for those old enough to remember) and anyone else who is fast-tracked through, just so they can play for Britain quicker than they should, or would if they were Joe Schmo.

This makes perfect sense to me, fine!

I need to apologise anyway, really should know not to listen to one interview and form an opinion on it, especially a strong one. Thanks for posting today's post match press conference. Certainly clarifies things.

theemptyvessel · Club Coach

Not going to comment one way or another on whether anyone here is a racist, I don't know anyone here anywhere near well enough to make such a damning accusation.

I do want to comment on the whole you have to be born here or have British parents to be British argument and say what a complete load of bollocks that is. I have known many immigrants whose love of this country and sense of Britishness dwarfs mine although I was born here to two British parents. I cannot fathom why some people find it so hard to believe that Aljaz has a genuine desire to represent Britain over and above some spurious financial motive. I know he came here to further his career as a teenager but he has made a home here for 10 years and it is hardly strange to think that he might genuinely have come to love the country in that time as a result of the friendships and life that he has found here. If playing DC was some magical way to score millions then maybe it would be suspicious but frankly as a top 100 player he does just fine financially without it. The fact is, although he had no need to, he chose to become British, wants to play DC (unlike some who were actually born here) and seems to have been genuinely quite devastated by the ITF ruling. I think someone who is so passionate about representing Britain that they would go to the lengths Aljaz has, including being ridiculed and belittled by little Englanders and vilified in Slovenia as a traitor, is to me more deserving than someone who claims the right by the good fortune of their birth and then treats it with disdain as many of our so called homegrown players have down the years.

Spectator · All-time great

The whole 'two British parents' thing would create some serious quandaries. Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, was German. So does that mean that King Edward VII doesn't count as British? And if he doesn't, does George V? George V, of course, then married Princess Mary of Teck ... who was herself (by these criteria) not British. Which puts into doubt the Britishness of George VI. His daughter then married a foreigner, Prince Philip (born in Greece, final child of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg) ... so does anyone want to tell the Queen that her father and children weren't British?

More seriously, leaving aside the questions of tennis representation, I'd agree with Coup Droit: if the laws of the land say that you are British, you are British. It's not for each of us to make up our own criteria.

EddietheEagle · County player

The important point Mark's post makes is the sh.t state of British tennis generally and the LTA's clutching at straws in consequence. Why, even Djokovic was beginning to feel British at one point.

blob · All-time great

Well, Mark also tried to make the point: "I also believe that if we had a stack of top 100 players like Spain, fewer would have welcomed him."
How does that work, for Spain?
Well, they have a stack of top 100 women.
Therefore they naturally did not welcome a player born in Caracas, Venezuela, to only one Spanish parent (father), and that player was never heard from again in Spain.
That obscure, forgotten name, rejected by the Spanish because of their stacks of true Spanish players? Garbine Muguruza.

Which is in no way an attack on Spain - many other countries take equally malleable positions, including the UK - but rather, just an illustration that Mark's assertion is flawed.

EddietheEagle · County player

Mark stated a belief, an opinion.

The exact same complaints around nationality and allegiance were voiced when Rusedski turned up on the doorstep - most vociferously perhaps by a British Davis Cup player of his time.

Muguruza has far more obvious connection with Spain and her facts are different. Her surname alone would tell you that. I doubt you'd even know where Ljubljana is.

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

yawwwwwwwwwwnnnnnn! Just get on and play your tennis. Tennis in the grand scheme of things is an individual sport (other than Davis Cup) It doesnt matter who you represent

EddietheEagle · County player

Why don't you push off yourself if you find it all so boring? The issue is clearly of interest to some despite your opinion to the contrary.