16 Feb 2013

Federer behind squash's bid for spot at 2020 Games

5:37 pm on 16 February 2013

Swiss tennis great Roger Federer will support the campaign to have squash included in the 2020 Olympics after meeting the sport's longtime No.1 Nicol David at the Rotterdam World Indoor tournament.

Federer, who's won a record 17 grand slam titles in the Open era, made his endorsement only a few days after the International Olympic Committee controversially said it would remove wrestling from the Games.

Federer says he started with a wooden racquet in squash and it's a wonderful sport that deserves to be in the Olympics.

Six-time world champion David of Malaysia says she thinks squash deserves its chance as it's played in every corner of the globe, and it's tremendous to have Federer supporting their campaign.

Federer, who lost to France's Julien Benneteau in the Rotterdam quarter-finals, plays his next tournament at his training base of Dubai starting on Monday week, when - like in Rotterdam - he will be defending champion.