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Beautiful words by the Swiss player Timea Bacsinszky about Francesca Schiavone, who didn't receive any wild card by Rome event in her last year on the WTA Tour as professional player. 'The only thing that hurts my heart is that your Grand Slam winner is still playing and that doesn't receive wild card during her last year', Bacsinszky said in press conference.
'Because you know that she won't play again. 'Oh yes, she may play next year'. Ok, but she may play only a tournament, she may not be willing to come back, to practice for 5 months to play in Rome again. I have been knowing her for a long time and I always follwoed her because I like her spirit, her love for the sport, she is an example for many people.
Ok, she may sell fewer tickets, but she is an example for the whole Italy, for the next tennis players. Or probably I don't know other stories between her and the Federation, but it's her last year... Sharapova comes back, she may sell more tickets, it's true, but she cannot be choosen over an Italian who won the first Slam title for Italy and that gave so much for the sport.
Who did better than her in Italy?' No one, we add... ALSO READ: Roberta Vinci: 'A wild-card for Rome should have been given to Schiavone, not to Sharapova'