The ongoing conflict between Camila Giorgi and the Italian Tennis Federation (FIT) has reached its peak with the top 100 player receiving a nine-month ban for refusing to play in a Fed Cup match.
Last April the world No.74 refused to play in a Fed Cup tie against Spain because she intended to play in the qualifying draw at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart Open that same weekend. It was reported that she initially sent an email requesting to not be named in the tie.
“Camila Giorgi and her staff announce that today [31st March] we have terminated our cooperation with FIT [the Italian Tennis Federation]. […] Camila therefore will not take part to the Fed Cup tie [against Spain], but will enter the qualifying draw in Stuttgart”. She confirmed in a statement published on her personal website in April..
Giorgi’s refusal was one that jeopardize the contract in place between her and the FIT. Under the original agreement, the 25-year-old would receive access to training facilities, an apartment for her and her family plus a financial package. In return, Giorgi was expected to make herself available for every Fed Cup tie.
Following the violation of the agreement, Giorgi has been handed a nine-month ban as well as a 30,000 euros ($32,000) fine. She is prohibited from playing in the Fed Cup and using the Federations facilities. In addition, she will also be ineligible for a wildcard for the Italian Open in May, a tournament which she also skipped in 2016 due to the argument.
It is not the first time that an Italian player has been punished for missing a team tournament. Simone Bolelli also received a ban in 2008 for making himself unavailable for a Davis Cup tie against Latvia. Besides missing out of the Davis Cup, Bolelli was also excempt from the Beijing Olympic Games.
Former top-30 player Giorgi has won one WTA title so far in her career (‘s-Hertogenbosch 2015). This season she reached the semifinals at the Shenzhen Open before suffering a first round loss to Timea Bacsinszky at the Australian Open. In the Fed Cup, she has represented Italy five times since 2014.
