The Australian Open's tournament director called Roger Federer a "box office" athlete.GETTY IMAGES
Australian Open Tournament Dir Craig Tiley defended giving Roger Federer "prime time" treatment at the year's first grand slam, saying that "it was a matter of meeting fans and broadcasters' demands" for the "box office" athlete, according to Ian Ransom of REUTERS. Frenchman Julien Benneteau "caused a stir" during a radio interview on Sunday, in which he said that "referees were often kinder to the Swiss great when it came to scheduling." Benneteau also criticized Federer's Laver Cup project, saying that the exhibition team event, in which Tiley is also involved, represents a "conflict of interest." Tiley said that players and fans are "obviously at the forefront" when scheduling matches but added that there is "no way of pleasing everyone all the time." Tiley said, "In terms of players and their appeal, it needs to be said that Roger Federer is a once-in-a-generation player widely regarded as one of the biggest 'box office' athletes in the world." Federer attempted to "avoid getting dragged into a row" with Benneteau but said that "a lot of the facts (were) not right" about his scheduling. Federer: "Sometimes I get help, sometimes I don't" (REUTERS, 11/14).
