ITF chief unfazed by strike threat

BANGKOK: The head of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said Friday he is optimistic that a threatened strike by leading men’s tennis players will be averted.


“We are in discussion and we are open to listen to what they said,” Francesco Ricci Bitti said in Bangkok, where he was re-elected for a fourth term as president of the body.


“Normally in the past we had long negotiation but we found a solution. I believe we will find again another solution.We recognize that the players could be tired but we are ready to meet them and see if we find a solution. I think if they’re tired, my first comment is that they cannot be tired only for our competition,” he said.