Aljaz Bedene gives up fight for GB Davis Cup and Olympic career after nine years

Aljaz Bedene, world No49 and the second ranked Briton in men’s tennis after Andy Murray, announced yesterday that he is to return to the country of his birth, Slovenia, to pursue his Olympic ambitions after failing to gain approval from the ITF to represent GB in Davis Cup.

The 28-year-old has spent almost his entire professional career in the UK, where it took him seven years to gain British citizenship. He then began his battle to be allowed to represent GB in Davis Cup, which in turn would earn him eligibility to represent his new home at the Olympics.

However, the International Tennis Federation turned down his application, and subsequent appeals, due to his having played three dead rubbers for Slovenia before he achieved British citizenship—a decision based on a new ITF rule introduced after his move to the UK but before he was formally granted citizenship.

Despite the support of the LTA throughout his legal battles, and the personal support of Davis Cup captain Leon Briton, the outlook for Bedene’s campaign was not bright, and the LTA has again expressed its disappointment at the lack of flexibility in his case. The BBC reports the Association as saying:

“We have always been realistic with regard to the ITF’s eligibility appeals process and supported Aljaz’s battle to secure his Davis Cup eligibility for Great Britain… It is a shame that this case did not warrant an exception, but we absolutely respect Aljaz’s wish to fulfil his international ambitions at both Davis Cup and the Olympics.”

And it is clearly those ambitions that left Bedene between a rock and a hard place when his latest appeal this March failed.

As he said in his announcement on Facebook:

“One of my main goals for my career will be to play for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. I have proudly called Britain my home for the last nine years and so many people there have made me feel welcome both in the UK and abroad. I am also particularly grateful for the support the LTA have shown me in that time and in fighting my case for the GB Davis Cup eligibility.

“At this stage in my career, I do not want to miss the opportunity to compete in the Davis Cup and the Olympics, two events that mean so much to me, and that is what has informed my decision.

“This has not been easy, and again I would like to thank everyone for their support.”

Bedene has won five Futures and 14 Challenger titles, and he made the third round at both the French Open—in 2016—and at Wimbledon this year.

Indeed, he scored a notable four-and-a-half-hour win over No23 Ivo Karlovic in London, 6-7, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 8-6, and with some extraordinary statistics: just 18 unforced errors in 399 points played, and 79 winners. Then against Damir Dzumhur, Bedene again impressed: 41 winners, 12 aces, 27 errors. And he thoroughly appreciated the support of the British fans, as he admitted with a big smile:

“I probably wouldn’t have done it without them. I mean, the first round, and then again today—I was a little bit tired, and they helped me when it was tough.”

Bedene also reached one of two career ATP finals in Budapest in April this year, after a three-Challenger unbeaten run.

However, facing the press at Roland Garros, it appeared that Bedene did not fully understand the ramifications of his latest failed appeal to the ITF—that without Davis Cup matches under his belt for GB, he would be ineligible for the 2020 Olympics.

He said: “Well, at the moment I’m representing Great Britain, but I do want to play Olympic Games. That’s I think a dream for every athlete. I’ll have to see on that what can be done… I don’t know what the rules are, really. I haven’t checked that, no. [But] I’m not thinking about that now.”

And there were signs that personal issues may also come into the equation:

“Well, I still have a house in England. For the clay season I spend quite a lot of time in Slovenia. My fiancee said she wants to move back. She wants to have her career there. You know, I’m traveling a lot, so it’s not easy. But I do want to spend as much time as I can with her. But, my home is still [in Welwyn].”

He married Slovenian singer Kimalie this summer, and went on to suffer several early losses between the US Open and the end of the season due to a persistent knee injury.

Time to take stock, then, and consider one more comment he made during the French Open:

“I’m not thinking about the Olympic Games at the moment, although I want to play. It’s more I’ve got maybe five more years on the tour, and I want to use them well. I want to do everything right.”

And a change in the Davis Cup set-up in Slovenia, where Bedene’s twin brother is also a factor, may have eased the decision after nine years of trying to win ITF approval.

The quietly-spoken player was still a teenager when he gave up his life in Slovenia, and would not play a main-tour match for another two years as he worked his way through the ranks. But Father Time is even less forgiving than the tennis authorities—and Bedene has clearly decided it is now his time to extricate himself from between that rock and oh-so-hard place.