Romanian team captain Ilie Nastase has no regrets about his Fed Cup tennis expulsion and defended his honor in the face of an onslaught of heavy media criticism. The 1973 Roland Garros and 1972 US Open champion (and two-time Wimbledon finalist) told the Daily Mirror: “I don’t regret it and they can send me to prison if they want – I don’t care.”
“I was just trying to promote the interest of my girl. The English player just stormed off without even asking permission to leave the court and I admit that’s when I called her a bitch.”
“She kept trying to keep the crowd quiet – but it’s not an opera it’s a game.”
“I don’t need this bullsh*t. I’m 70 years old. I don’t even get paid for being team captain. I don’t give a sh*t if they fine me or don’t let me sit in the captain’s chair.”
“Remember I was world number one. If you throw someone out who was a world number one, it’s not good for tennis.”
18 comments
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catherine bell · April 25, 2017 at 1:14 pm
I’ve said a fair bit about this on another thread so will only add a couple of things.
I noticed that Nadia Comenici, who is in Roumania, was first quoted as saying she didn’t take Nastase’s behaviour that seriously,then quickly backtracked and issued another statement saying exactly the opposite and sounding as though she was reading from a script – probably the case. I wonder what she really thinks.
Nastase will never be thrown out of tennis in Roumania – Serena William’s writ doesn’t run there and Roumanians don’t like being pushed around.
And by the way, I don’t find Nastase’s comments particularly racist or sexist. Stupid, unthinking and insensitive yes. But not worth the media storm they’ve generated.
Otherwise Roumania won fair and square – the singles were oddly shuffled as I said before but no one seems to have noticed that.
Hartt · April 25, 2017 at 1:30 pm
But Nastase’s behaviour is not just an issue relating to women. In 1994, when he was Davis Cup captain, he was barred from the tie between Romania and Great Britain after his behaviour in the tie against South Africa, “audible obscenities, constant abuse and intimidation of officials”. It speaks volumes that he was given the position for the Fed Cup team – his past behaviour was an excellent preview of what he would do.
catherine bell · April 25, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Hartt –
As I said before on the previous thread, Nastase’s instability is well known (has been for around 50 years) and he should never have been given the job as captain.
But Simona wanted him and I gather Tiriac may also have been involved in the decision.
I doubt that mistake will be made again.
Scoop Malinowski · April 25, 2017 at 2:07 pm
Agree Catherine, what Nastase said was silly humor and not mean spirited at all. The media are looking eagerly hunting for any kind of white racism and if they can’t find it they manufacture it. Nastase’s comments have created a bigger uproar than when Charles Barkley said, “I hate white people.” Imagine the insanity if Nastase said ‘I hate black people.” I think the world would stop.
catherine bell · April 26, 2017 at 3:31 am
Department of Hypocrisy 1 – what are all those media reporters doing in Stuttgart, a run-of-the-mill women’s tournament they would not normally attend ?
Department of Hypocrisy 2 – my thoughts are with the considerable number of people who were busy guzzling Meldonium and heaven knows what else and Didn’t Get Caught.
Flocea · April 26, 2017 at 9:48 am
Hypocrisy 101: calling someone a racist for a lot less than your father said. R.Williams, US Open 1997: “that big ugly white turkey”, while refering to Spirlea.
catherine bell · April 26, 2017 at 11:53 am
Stuttgart news –
Simona through, straight sets, which is one round better than last year. Konta in 3.
As far as I can see Kerber does not play her first match until Thursday, which seems odd. An abbreviated tournament surely ?
catherine bell · April 26, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Sharapova wins and sponsors give sigh of relief.
Oh to be a fly on the dressing-room wall 🙂
Hartt · April 26, 2017 at 2:45 pm
I noticed that about Kerber. Wondered if they wanted to have Sharapova for a night match, which they did. But it would be too much of a slap in the face not to feature Kerber as well.
In other news, Bouchard and Flipkens won their doubles match in Istanbul over Kalinskaya/Marozava. It looks like Genie has waded into the Sharapova controversy, saying in an interview that Maria was a cheater and cheaters should not be allowed to play. Or something like that, it was posted on another site. I think Genie would be wiser to steer clear of that one, especially since it has already been debated to death.
Sharapova won in SS over Vinci. I saw most of the match and have to admit that Sharapova played well in general. But her shrieking was even worse than I’d remembered. Someone said that the WTA would not allow the Tennis Channel to show that match, that the WTA wanted to air it themselves after it was finished. What fresh nonsense is this from the WTA?
Scoop Malinowski · April 26, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Good memory Flocea – I do remember that classless remark by Richard Williams but it was a long time ago and he’s been well behaved since then – welcome to the site –
catherine bell · April 26, 2017 at 4:41 pm
I think the book should be closed on Sharapova – she’s done her time, she’s playing again and her colleagues will just have to accept it. I have to say I haven’t been too impressed by some of their comments. There’s a time when bitterness and resentment just have to end.
The Stuttgart people might have wanted to protect Kerber – she played Fed Cup over the weekend and they certainly don’t want her out in her first match – more than a possibility I’m afraid. And Angie must have agreed her schedule. She doesn’t like playing at night.
I would love to see her do well in front of her home crowd and finally turn her horrendous season around but I’m not too hopeful.
Anyway – an interesting tournament.
Hartt · April 26, 2017 at 5:06 pm
Interesting tournament indeed. Kontaveit just defeated Muguruza. So No. 5 seed gone.
Scoop Malinowski · April 26, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Catherine: Why doesn’t Kerber like playing at night? Better adapt to it if she wants to win US Open or Australia again –
Hartt · April 26, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Good news on the Simona Halep front. Rene Denfeld tweeted that he had a chat with a relaxed Simona Halep in Stuttgart. She said Cahill was not there because she wants to rely on him less for OCC. “I’m trying to be more professional and solve my own problems.”
catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 3:00 am
Hartt –
Very good news indeed re Halep – maybe ‘being in the moment’ is beginning to work for her.
And maybe she doesn’t want a repetition of Miami. I was impressed by her play in Fed Cup.
Scoop – Angie made that comment at IW – so it’s possible she didn’t like the night conditions at IW – clearly she has to put up with them in other tournaments.
Stuttgart of course is different.
catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 3:47 am
Re Simona – I wonder if Cahill is going to be eased out ?
Or maybe his role changed. That would be welcome.
Also – amid the chaos in Constanta I noticed one of Simona’s comments about Nastase, why she liked him as a coach – that he was helpful and ‘positive’ and she responded well to that.
Better than Cahill shaking his head whenever she missed a shot – a complaint she made in Miami.
catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 3:56 am
Angie’s playing in the evening today but it’s an indoor event so maybe that doesn’t matter.
Still, she’s waited an awful long time to start her tournament 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 9:24 am
That whole Halep and Cahill show is past its due date by now – Think it’s time for a change – Halep knows what has to be done now and hearing Cahill parrot the same lines isn’t going to change much –