SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER!
 
 
Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
front
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale

Popular This Week

Kyrgios on Swiatek Case: Tennis is Cooked Kyrgios on Swiatek Case: Tennis is Cooked
Casper Ruud and Maria Galligani Are Engaged Casper Ruud and Maria Galligani Are Engaged
Love Match: Madison Keys Marries Bjorn Fratangelo Love Match: Madison Keys Marries Bjorn Fratangelo
WTA Awards Nominees for 2024 WTA Awards Nominees for 2024
ITF President Haggerty: Davis Cup Won't Return to Best-of-Five ITF President Haggerty: Davis Cup Won't Return to Be...
ATP Award Nominees Announced for 2024 ATP Award Nominees Announced for 2024
Sinner's Extraordinary 2024, By the Numbers Sinner's Extraordinary 2024, By the Numbers
Net Notes - A Tennis Now Blog

Net Posts

Industry Insider - A Tennis Now Blog

Industry Insider

Second Serve - A Tennis Now Blog

Second Serve

 

Anthem Gaffe Leaves German Players Stunned and Angry



An unfortunate U.S. oversight in Maui over the weekend led to a strange scene prior to the opening day of the U.S. vs. Germany Fed Cup tie in Hawaii. When the anthem singer performed a version of the Nazi-Era National Anthem instead of the current version, German players and fans in the audience were left stunned, with many of them showing angry expressions and joining to try to sing over the singer’s version (see video above).

More: Umpire Struck by Shapovalov at Davis Cup has Surgery

The singer sang a version of the anthem that included a now obsolete first verse.

Germany’s top player, Andrea Petkovic, didn’t mince words when she expressed what it made her feel after the incident. "I thought it was the epitome of ignorance, and I've never felt more disrespected in my whole life, let alone in Fed Cup, and I've played Fed Cup for 13 years now and it is the worst thing that has ever happened to me," she said.

Based on the reactions of the team from the above video, she was merely sharing the sentiments of the whole team.

The USTA later apologized for the incident on Twitter, and USTA President Katrina Adams apologized in person to the head of the German Tennis Federation.

Ulrich Klaus, the President of the German Tennis Federation acknowledged the USTA apology, according to CNN.

"Our American hosts made a mistake at the opening ceremony in Hawaii on Saturday which shouldn't happen," he said in a statement in his native language, which was published on the Federation's website.

"The fact that in the year 2017 the wrong national anthem can be played, and one that is associated with so much cruelty in the past was for the players, staff and the German fans equally disturbing and shocking. The... USTA, has immediately apologized through their President Katrina Adams both officially in writing and personally and deeply regrets the mistake."

Posted: