Roger Federer plans to speak to Novak Djokovic about Chris Kermode's future ahead of Indian Wells meeting

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  • Roger Federer plans on talking to Novak Djokovic ahead of next month’s players’ meeting in Indian Wells, where the future of ATP executive chairman and president Chris Kermode is set to be decided upon.

    Kermode’s contract is up at the end of this current 2019 season and a faction of the players, believed to be spearheaded by ATP Player Council president Novak Djokovic, led a campaign in Melbourne against the renewal of the Brit’s agreement.

    Vasek Pospisil, who represents those ranked 51-100 in the council, sent an email to the players last month calling for change at the helm, which led to Stan Wawrinka responding in defence of Kermode.

    It is believed that players voted on the matter at the Australian Open but it was agreed that the final vote and decision on Kermode’s fate would be made at Indian Wells next month.

    Federer had said in Melbourne that he needed to talk to Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and other players to know more about the situation and he revealed in Dubai on Wednesday, following his 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Fernando Verdasco in the second round, that he hopes to speak to Djokovic before the upcoming meeting.

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  • “I think important was to see how the Davis Cup was going to go a little bit maybe as well, to be quite honest. I did speak to Rafa during the tournament. Novak I didn’t see. I guess that was my fault because I lost earlier. That robbed me of spending more time there,” said Federer, who lost in the Australian Open fourth round to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

    “I think to some extent also I have to take a decision if I want to be involved in any way. Politically I’m not involved. I’m not on the council. But I’m always happy to listen and all that stuff.

    “At some point I also have to be careful with the time, Novak’s time as a council president. I got to play it the right way. I think my next conversation needs to be with him.

    “I had some meetings also with council members at the Australian Open. It’s been quiet recently. It’s always like that. It’s always busy, busy, just before the Australian Open. After that everybody focuses on tennis. After that the tour moves on, you don’t see each other anymore. Things flatten out. Like you said, things are going to come back to the surface a little bit in Indian Wells. Good or bad, it’s going to happen.”

    Nadal told the press in Melbourne that he was surprised that he was never approached by members of the council to discuss this, but added that he believes Kermode should continue.

    “Being honest, I am not in the council anymore, and at the same time, nobody from the council side came to me and asked me my opinion,” the Spaniard said.

    On Wednesday in Dubai following his 6-3, 6-2 win over Marcos Baghdatis, Gael Monfils echoed Nadal’s sentiments, saying he was taken by surprise when the topic was brought up in Australia last month.

    “It’s a bit tough. Not so much, I mean, with not so much heads up. Honestly I think it’s more us to ask what’s going on, then it’s not the other way around,” Monfils said when asked if he is clued in on the whole debate ahead of the vote at Indian Wells.

    “For players like me who likes to know but don’t really care, it’s tough because we have this meeting and, boom, it’s already done. We don’t have so much say to what happen.”

    The Frenchman added: “Honestly, in Australia what happened, I have no clue about that. You are just like come up, boom, Chris, not Chris. Okay, what happened? Why?

    “Most of the time when we have the meeting, it seems like he’s doing a great job. Apparently some say, No, he’s not doing a great job. Okay, why? They tell you in two minutes. Thank you, see you in Indian Wells.

    “No, is not that easy to follow, honestly. I think they might improve a little bit the communication. I think some guys travelling a bit more, should try to have some chat with us because in Australia we said we’re not super happy because we’re not really informed.”

    Monfils’s second round win over Baghdatis in Dubai was his seventh victory in a row after picking up the title in Rotterdam earlier this month.

    He takes on Ricardas Berankis in Thursday’s quarter-finals after the Lithuanian followed up his upset of No. 8 seed Daniil Medvedev with success over Denis Kudla in the second round on Wednesday.

    Federer’s triumph over Verdasco was his 50th match win in Dubai, where he is hoping to capture a record-extending eighth title in the Emirates this week.

    The Swiss world No. 7 has dropped a set in each of his opening two matches so far but is generally pleased to reach an 11th Dubai quarter-final. He plays Hungarian Marton Fucsovics on Thursday.

    “They were very different matches, haven’t they been? A lot of wind and topspin against Kohlschreiber. Today against a lefty, no wind, perfect conditions in some way. Fernando can take the racquet out of your hand with his serve and forehand at times. At the same time he can also beat himself. That is what he did that in the first set. Started to play better in the second. And in the third it was even,” said Federer of his time on court so far this week.

    “From that standpoint I’m just happy I made it through. The game is getting better. Naturally it was always going to feel a little bit better today with no wind.

    “We’ll see what the conditions are going to be like tomorrow. I think probably something similar to today. More of a straightforward playing in Fucsovics tomorrow. I think I can maybe assess better what’s going on tomorrow.”

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