Aljaz Bedene is not letting go of his dream of playing in the British Davis Cup team as he continues his legal fight with the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Slovenian-born Bedene completed the switch of his allegiance to Great Britain in March 2015 after living in the country since 2008. In a series of lengthy meeting with ITF officials, Bedene has so far failed in his bid to be allowed to play in the British Davis Cup team. In 2015 the ITF introduced a rule which stated that a player is only allowed to represent one Davis Cup team in their career, making the former Slovenian Davis Cup player ineligible for Great Britain.
Throughout the entire application process, Bedene has pointed out that he applied to play for Great Britain prior to the change in rules and therefore the verdict should be based on ITF regulations at that time.
Bedene’s hearing with the ITF has also sparked criticism from members of British tennis. In November 2015 the 26-year-old attended a meeting in Prague, the Czech Republic. Despite making the journey, he was informed that the heading has been adjourned. Last month he was also forced to stay up all night for a Skype meeting, a day before his final against Marcel Granollers at the Irving Challenger. Bedene would like an apology from the ITF concerning their controversial management of his case.
“It’s just not right. I actually accept the new rule, the way it is now, because I think it’s fair. But I was waiting from 2012. I really wanted this”, The Daily Mail quoted him saying.
“The way they treated me wasn’t the best because I could have done it earlier, and it could be the same case as Dustin Brown (who went from Jamaica to Germany). They haven’t really considered the human aspect in this.’
There is still hope for the world No.60 with his legal team still looking into potential ways to appeal against the ITF’s verdict. There is however one factor standing in Bedene’s way, money.
“I heard £100,000,” He said about the price of a legal challenge.
“I would pay if it’s affordable, but £100,000 is not affordable,’ he said. ‘My lawyers are still checking. I think the best thing to do now is to see whether there is a chance.
‘They’re still looking into everything. So we’ll see what are the next steps. But I really hope there is a next step. I don’t want to give up.’
Bedene is playing in this week’s Monte Carlo Masters. His best results of the season so far was reaching the semifinals of the Chennai Open and the final of the Irving Challenger. 2016 hasn’t always been plain-sailing for the Ljubljana-born player. At the Miami Masters he was forced to retire due to a wrist injury.
The next task in Bedene’s season will be a second round clash with Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo, in what will be their first meeting on the tour.
