By Adrianna Outlaw | Thursday, September 14, 2017
"I think that after all my contribution and involvement with Spanish tennis I did not deserve an end in this way, in my opinion, so disrespectful,” Conchita Martinez said in a statement.
Photo credit: Davis Cup Facebook
Conchita Martinez is surprised and hurt by the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) decision to dump her as Spanish Davis Cup and Fed Cup captain.
The 45-year-old Martinez, who made history as the first Spanish woman to win Wimbledon when she defeated Martina Navratilova in the 1994 final, took over as Davis Cup captain in July of 2015, succeeding Gala Leon Garcia.
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The RFET said in a statement it "considers Conchita Martinez's contract as coach of the Spanish Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams to be finished."
"She has done a great job in her years as captain," the RFET said. "We have decided to change... going into new challenges in 2018 with our teams."
The former world No. 2 said she had hoped to continue as captain of both teams, “but the decision has been unilateral on the part of the RFET."
“It hurts for the fans, with whom I share their love and passion for tennis, who have been there always supporting us in every match, on television, in the stands or with their messages through social networks,” Martinez said in a statement posted on her official website. “My motivation and desire remain intact, like the first day, I would have liked to continue, but the decision has been unilateral, on the part of the RFET.
“I think that after all my contribution and involvement with Spanish tennis I did not deserve an end in this way, in my opinion, so disrespectful.”
During Martinez’s captaincy, Spain posted a 4-2 Davis Cup record and returned to World Group competition this season.
Led by Pablo Carreno Busta and Roberto Bautista Agut, Spain rallied for a 3-2 victory over host Croatia in its World Group opener in February.
Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki led Serbia to a 4-1 quarterfinal conquest of Spain in the April quarterfinals.
The former Spanish Fed Cup captain stepped in for Sam Sumyk to coach Garbine Muguruza to her first Wimbledon championship in July.
Martinez encouraged Garbine to play with more margin on her shots and channel her power with patient point construction.
It paid off with the first grass-court title of Muguruza’s career.