Ralf Webber - How not to address an injury

Roger Federer pulled out of Halle to allow his body to recover and mentioned about a groin problem

This is the statement released by Ralf Weber Tournamen Director

"For me this is a personal disappointment that I cannot describe at the moment. I am stunned. Our plans for the past year have been nearly exclusively with Roger appearing. And he never gave us any doubts that he had health problems. I clearly express my disappointment to his management. We expect that this contract will be fulfilled in person - and not just a declaration of intent. I am naturally really sorry for our loyal fans who will now not see Roger, because we keep our word with the spectators"

Utterly shameful. No well wishes for Roger. I think he should boycott them all together.

Yes, that's not nice and smart. But...it;s a lot of effort and investment for a tournament director and it critically puts the business and future of the tournament in jeopardy. So I understand those angry words.

Federer must have been scared of their e-coli salads.

I can understand from a business perspective the frustration, but then the tournament needs to look at what other top players they can attract. For too long now they have been dependant on Roger as the main attraction, but they do need other top players to join the tournament.

The least they could've done was wished him well for the rest of the season. I think the salads scared him too.

Don't these people have press officers and secrataries etc who vet these things before release ?

Or has something been lost in translation ?

Would it have been so much trouble to add an extra sentence along the lines of:-
"Thanks Roger for your years of support get well soon, good luck for Wimbledon and we hope to see you next year."

I think that money talking there. I read somewhere he gets a big appearance for for the Halle event and so they probably think in their business head that he is obliged to turn up.

hello !

nb:- sorry about this, I was trying to get that signature working.

legendkillar wrote:
Utterly shameful. No well wishes for Roger. I think he should boycott them all together.

Typical. Richard Krajicek went from being a Federer fan to a Nadal fan when Federer pulled out of his tournament (Rotterdam) in 2006...
I have to say i wasn't pleased either while witnessing the final that year..
(Stepanek-Rochus 6-0 6-3)

BTW: Federer will be playing Rotterdam next year so Krajicek's probably a Federer fan again. He only tweets about Federer for a month now

To be fair we dont know the full statement he gave, the press may have edited any part of the last bit where he mat have wished him well - would seem quite churlish to not wish him well at all if he wants him back next year.

Fed did the right thing though, groin injuries can be notoriously hard to treat if they become aggravated - ask Alan Shearer!

The Gerry Webber Open had 2 Germans in the in the final.

Surely that would have had more appeal than the 'Federer Factor'?

Look how excited British fans were at the prospect of an all British final.