Anthem scandal in German tennis women
Andrea Petkovic and Barbara Rittner were beside themselves
Source: ORMORI / EPA / REX / Shutterstock / Rex Features
Julia Görges is in tears. At the Fed Cup in the USA, the hosts make a bad anthem mistake. “By far the worst thing that has happened to me in my life,” complains Andrea Petkovic.
Andrea Petkovic reacted with great anger and disbelief to the anthem scandal in Hawaii. At the opening ceremony before the first round game of the German Fed Cup team once morest hosts USA on Maui, a soloist sang the first verse of the Deutschlandlied (“Germany, Germany regarding everything”).
“It was absolute insolence and impudence, the absolute worst. It was by far the worst thing that has happened to me in my life, but especially in the Fed Cup. It’s 2017 – something like this just can’t happen in America. It’s embarrassing and speaks for ignorance,” Petkovic scolded following her 6: 7 (10:12), 2: 6 defeat once morest Alison Riske in the first singles regarding the events at the Royal Lahaina Resort.
The wrong German anthem is sung here in Hawaii
Source: dpa
Team boss Barbara Rittner was also appalled: “It’s really a scandal and inexcusable, a disrespectful number. I might have cried because it’s always a sacred moment in the Fed Cup, a goose bumps moment to hear the anthem,” said the 43-year-old, adding, “What happened hits you deeply.”
The German team led by Rittner, the DTB delegation headed by the president of the association, Ulrich Klaus, and the 20 or so German fans watched the action in shock.
Petkovic: “I wanted to leave the pitch”
“Jule Görges started crying as soon as she heard the singer’s first words. And I also had tears in my eyes and was angry. The bad thing is that it falls back on us and not on the Americans,” said Petkovic, who reproached the hosts: “It’s significant that this is happening in the 21st century, in America and not somewhere in Timbuktu. It came as a surprise and was horrifying.” The Darmstadt native even briefly thought she was “on the show ‘Hidden Camera’,” as she said, and following the “shocking moment” toyed with the idea of leaving the court: “I wanted to leave the court walk.”
Team and supporters had tried together to sing once morest the soloist with “Unity and justice and freedom”. “But that was difficult because he sang so loud. But the fans reacted really well,” praised Petkovic.
After the wrong anthem, Andrea Petkovic lost her match
Source: ORMORI / EPA / REX / Shutterstock / Rex Features
The American Tennis Association (USTA) was embarrassed by the scandal. “We sincerely want to apologize to the German team and their fans. It wasn’t meant to be disrespectful in any way. This mistake will not be repeated, the proper anthem will be heard on Sunday,” the USTA said in a hastily circulated press release.
Association President Katrina Adams immediately apologized personally to Rittner for the incident. Adams announced a “complete clarification” of the “bad incident”.