(Newswire.net — February 14, 2017) — Before the quarter-final match between the United States tennis player, Alison Riske, and German representative, Andrea Petkovic, took place at the Fed Cup in Hawaii, the hosts made an embarrassing error by delivering the Nazi-era version of Germany’s national anthem.
“Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles, uber alles in der Welt,” resounded before match on Maui island in Hawaii. These verses were used as Nazi propaganda. It translates as “Germany, Germany, above all, above all in the world,” and was dropped after World War Two because of its association with Adolf Hitler.
Deutschlandlied, written in 1841, is still listed as the official national anthem, with only the third verse now being sung, but the male soloist, unfortunately, sung the wrong version before the tennis match.
This horrible mistake has surprised everyone, creating a lot of controversy. German players and their fans were angry, and tried to sing the correct and official version of Germany’s national anthem loudly over the soloist.
The president of the United States Tennis Association, Katrina Adams, has apologized officially in writing and in person, deeply regretting the mistake.
”The USTA extends a sincere apology to the German Fed Cup team & fans for the outdated National Anthem. This mistake will not occur again,” USTA wrote in a statement.
German tennis federation chief, Ulrich Klaus, said in a statement that American hosts at the Fed Cup opening in Hawaii made a mistake that should not happen.
”The fact that in the year 2017 a wrong anthem can be played that is associated with the horror of the past was for players and staff and the officials present both shocking and disturbing,” said German tennis federation chief.
Germany’s tennis player, Andrea Petkovic, said that she thought it was the epitome of ignorance, and that she has never felt more disrespected in her whole life.
Petkovic explained that her team was shocked and did not know how to react.
After the incident with the anthem, singles match was held and America’s tennis player Alison Riske won the opening rubber to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
The Fed Cup is the premier international team competition in women’s tennis. The Fed Cup 2017 is the 55th edition of the tournament which was launched in 1963.
It is the world’s largest annual women’s international team sports competition, in terms of the number of nations that compete.