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Alla Zakarian

01-04-2019 | 16:45 Tennis
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Roger Federer responds to Stefanos Tsitsipas special treatment accusations

After securing his 101st career title on Sunday, Roger Federer was forced to defend tennis umpires over allegations of special treatment. Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas stated that Federer and other top stars benefit from “privileges” from match officials. He tweeted: “I think players that have been doing really well over the years, players that are generally much respected in the tennis world, have privileges when it comes to certain rules and umpire decisions. I felt this [a] couple of times when playing these guys and I think it’s a bit unfair.” Following a 6-16-4 win over a John Isner, Federer refuted the notion that he received “preferential treatment”. “It’s a tough one but what I do feel sometimes is that on the outside courts, more than just preferential treatment to the top guys, they are tougher on the rules,” Federer told AFP. “You do something – bang, warning. It’s like there is no messing about. But with the umpires with the top guys on the main courts, I think the umpires know the top guys, they know their problems, they know how they behave and how they will react, so they know what acting stupid or silly means and what normal is. “So because we know each other very well, I think it’s easier for an umpire to handle a top player who they know over an up-and-coming guy like Tsitsipas or a young guy and that sometimes gets lost in translation and maybe bad mistakes can happen. But I don’t see preferential treatment, there shouldn’t be. If I get warnings – I got one recently – it’s normal. So they should just, based on what happens, take those decisions and I really feel the umpires do that. ‘I am sorry that Stefanos feels that way.”

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