Djokovic Defends Federer On Favoritism Charge

Julien Benneteau dropped a bombshell on the Australian Open, charging the Melbourne major with intentionally giving Roger Federer favorable scheduling.Novak Djokovic defended Federer.Watch: Anderson Annihilates NishikoriThe retiring Benneteau charged Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley with a direct conflict of interest in favoring Federer with night sessions in 12 of his last 14 Australian Open matches when the Melbourne heat is much less severe.Benneteau told French radio station RCM Sport that Tiley, who works with the Federer-owned Laver Cup exhibition, has a clear conflict of interest and repeatedly gives Federer preferential night matches.“When he [Federer] promotes the Laver Cup, there are a number of conflicts of interest that have become disturbing,” Benneteau said. “In the organization of this event, there’s Craig Tiley, the boss of the Australian Open, who deals with marketing and television rights. He is paid by Roger Federer’s agent and, on the back of that, as luck would have it, Federer played 12 of his 14 [Australian Open] matches at 7.30 p.m.”Benneteau used Djokovic, playing in searing day-time heat against Gael Monfils, as a contrast to Federer’s almost exclusive night schedule at the Australian Open over the last two years.“Over the last two Australian Opens, [Federer] played 14 matches, because he was champion and finalist,” Benneteau told RCM. “And he played 12 or 13 of his 14 matches in the night session. On the same day, Federer played Jan-Lennard Struff – I have nothing against Struff, great guy – Novak Djokovic played Gael Monfils.“We’re agreed that on paper, any tournament director would put Djokovic-Monfils on night session at 7.30 p.m., right?’ But no. They played at 2.30 p.m., in 104 degrees. And Federer-Struff played at night.”In the aftermath of his ATP Finals victory over John Isner, Djokovic defended preferential scheduling treatment of Federer saying the 20-time Grand Slam champion deserves special treatment.“In the end of the day, in a way he deserves the special treatment because he’s six-time champion of Australian Open and arguably the best player ever,” Djokovic told the media in London. “If he doesn’t have it, who is going to have it? People want to see him play on the center court, and they want to see him play in showtime, the best hours, which is 7:30 at night in Rod Laver Arena.”