US finally gets German anthem right at Fed Cup

LOS ANGELES: US organizers managed to deliver the correct German national anthem Sunday at their Fed Cup quarter-final tie, but a first- day gaffe involving the hymn continued to haunt the competition.

Andrea Petkovic reiterated her outrage Sunday on Twitter even as the Americans reached the brink of advancing to the semifinals against defending champion Czech Republic.

Petkovic said she “never felt so disrespected” and her German teammates were angry and upset aftertheopeningceremony blunder Saturday in Maui, Hawaii.

An American soloist sang an old version of the German anthem that begins with a stanza considered overtly nationalist — “Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles” — a reference to German supremacy.

Singi ng t hat ver sion i s unwelcome in Germany because of its strong links to the Nazi era, with only the third stanza of the old anthem now used.

“I have never felt so disrespected in my life,” Petkovic said Saturday. “It was an absolute effrontery and insolence of the very worst kind.

“We’re in 2017 — something like this should not happen in America. It is embarrassing and smacks of ignorance. I had tears in my eyes and was angry.”

Organizers apologized, vowing not to make the blunder again, and were as good as their word Sunday, the accurate anthem rendition inspiring the German team to sing along.

But the damage was already done to their chances. Petkovic lost to Alison Riske 7- 6 (12/10), 6-2 in Saturday’s only completed match.

The US women took a 2- 0 lead in the best- of-five tie when Julia Georges, who was in tears after the anthem error, retired Sunday with a knee injury from a rain-halted match with Coco Vandeweghe leading 6- 3, 3-1. Georges was hurt slipping on a slick baseline on the last point played Saturday.

Reverse singles matches and doubles were set for later Sunday.

The winner will advance to the April 22- 23 semi- finals to face the Czechs, who downed visiting Spain 3-2 Sunday.

Petkovic took to Twitter on Sunday to make what she called “an attempt at the less emotional explanation with regard to yesterday’s history of the hymns. I think it puts things better in perspective.”

Petkovic noted the anthem incident took place just moments before the start of her match.

“We were mainly ( stunned) and did not know how we react. We feared the whole thing could fall back on us,” Petkovic wrote. “I lost the match and was approached directly after the anthem. This may explain the emotional expression somewhat better. — AFP