Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, who on Friday reached the semifinals of the Chennai Open for the second time, hopes to represent Great Britain in the Davis Cup in March.
With a ranking of 156 and having come through the qualifiers here, Bedene has, for quite some time, been trying to get a British passport.
The third-highest ranked player in his country, after Blaz Rola (ranking of 78) and Blaz Kavcic (99), Bedene said: “I’ve presented all my documents to the Home Office.
“I am waiting for their reply, which I think should come one of these days,” he said.
But the new ITF rules, which came into effect this year, prevents players from representing two countries — Bedene has played for Slovenia in the Davis Cup thrice from 2010 to 2012 — and that has disrupted his plans.
The 25-year-old said he was aware of the new rules, but maintained that he was confident of being granted the British passport.
“I don’t know how the new rules will apply to my case. I am still hopeful,” he said.
Having lived in Britain for the last seven years Bedene meets the main criterion to qualify as a British citizen. “I have been living there since 2008. That is my second country. I train there. And I feel at home there. So, why not try to play for the country?” he asked.
It is no secret that Bedene has always felt that the Slovenian Federation has not done much to create the right infrastructure for players to develop.
On his differences with the Slovenian Tennis Federation, Bedene said, “They haven't done anything to help me. They have their own team.
“For a small country, we have to stick together. And there are not many hard courts, only faster clay courts.”
With only Andy Murray (at No.6) in the top 10, and the next best outside the top 100, there isn’t much depth in British tennis.
However, Bedene’s aspirations have elicited cool reactions from some British tennis players.
“So a guy is becoming British who has already played for his country. Doesn’t quite sound right to me!” said a tweet by Daniel Evans, the world No. 317, last year.
With Great Britain playing USA from March 6 to 8 in a World Group first-round atch at home and the issue becoming sensitive, Bedene is left with no option than to hope for the best.
