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Gonzalez agrees to meet with El Presidente!

by bahamaderek on Dec.17, 2009, under 2010 Davis Cup, Fernando Gonzalez

Last month on a national television sports show, President Michelle Bachelet said she felt it important that Gonzalez, ranked 11th in the world, play for Chile’s Davis Cup tennis team (ST. Nov 2). Gonzalez responded by thanking the President and agreeing to meet with her to discuss his problems with Chile’s tennis federation.

Gonzalez defended the length of time it had taken for him to respond to Bachelet’s offer, insisting that he hadn’t been able to think about it until the tennis season ended earlier this month.

The tennis star quit the Davis Cup team in April after the FTCh published details of how much he and fellow team members Nicolas Massu and Paul Capdeville were paid. Since then Gonzalez has publicly feuded with FTCh director Jose Hinzpeter.

Hinzpeter hailed Gonzalez’s words as a “positive gesture.” “I hope we can heal the wounds and talk about Fernando returning,” he said.

A government spokesperson also praised Gonzalez’s comments, but insisted that a firm date for the meeting was yet to be agreed upon due to the President’s busy schedule and the player’s tournament commitments.

The Davis Cup competition pits the best tennis players from countries the world over in an international knockout format. Without Gonzalez, the Chilean team defeated Austria in September to maintain their position in the cup’s top division – the World Group (ST, 22 Sept).

Gonzalez’s statement raised hopes he will play in Chile’s first match of the 2010 tournament against Israel in the north Chilean port city of Coquimbo next march.

Gonzalez spoke while publicizing next Monday’s exhibition game against Argentine world number five and US open champion Juan Martin del Potro. The game starts at 22.00 at Santiago’s Moviestar arena and is seen by both players as an important warm-up ahead of next month’s Australian open.

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