"Shoo! Shoo!"
Seriously, I give up. I've tried to read all the articles about the Fernando/Barcelona thing and I really don't get what the issue is.
Fernando popped off earlier this month saying that he wasn't going to play Barcelona because he didn't see his name on the entry list and thus didn't feel welcome there. Or something:
"The reason I’m not going Barcelona—ask the tournament officials who decide who they want to play. Nadal is coming back and there’s a person whom I’m not going to say who it is, but who has had no interest in me playing. I hate going places, especially in Spain, where they are not interested who plays. In Estoril, they are."
"I am not vindictive or anything, but sad and disappointed with certain people who are responsible and Albert [Costa] because he has given priority to foreign players like Tsonga, Soderling instead of Spanish [players] and I think that is a mistake."
Ok. Yeah, that does sound kind of weird. I mean he's the defending champion and seemed to go out of his way to play the tournament last year after Rafa was forced to withdraw. Quite the favor to the tournament considering he had made the finals of Monte Carlo the previous week. How did the tournament thank him? By poisoning everyone else so that he could win the tournament. Just kidding. Pics or it didn't happen, I know.
So yeah, I was all "Man, that really sucks, Fernando." But then the tournament issued this statement:
The Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell organization explains that the name Fernando Verdasco does not appear on the players list of the tournament. The list was published a couple of weeks ago due to ATP regulations and defending champion Verdasco did not sign in. He still has the chance to participate in Barcelona if he accepts a wild card.
The tournament organization will reserve one invitation for the Spaniard and hope that he will defend his title in the Catalan capital. “We would be grateful if Fernando Verdasco came to play in Barcelona”, explained Real Club Tenis Barcelona president Albert Agustí, who has been surprised about the recent statement of the World No. 8.
Wait. You missed the deadline? Like...you didn't tell them you were planning to play? How is that their fault? But they're still offering you a wildcard? So...what's the beef?
I presume there's something going on behind the scenes that peeving Fer, right? I mean, he can't just be pissed about this stuff. Or can he?
Anyone have any insight?
(Pic: AP)
