'Roger Federer Arena' Plan Fails To Rally Signatures
Zeeshan Mehtab Published October 19, 2020 | 09:36 PM
A push to rename Basel's main sports arena after local tennis superstar Roger Federer fell through on Monday after it failed to garner enough signatures
Geneva, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Oct, 2020 ) :A push to rename Basel's main sports arena after local tennis superstar Roger Federer fell through on Monday after it failed to garner enough signatures.
Hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, Federer fans fell 1,800 signatures short of the 3,000 required to trigger a local public vote on the proposal.
But hopes that the St. Jakobshalle will be renamed he Roger Federer Arena are still burning despite the setback, Swiss news agency ATS reported.
St. Jakobshalle hosts the Swiss Indoors men's tennis tournament, which reigning champion Federer won for the 10th time last year.
Basel-born Federer, 39, used to live in the suburb where the hall is located. As a youngster, he spent two years as a ball boy at the Swiss Indoors and nowadays holds a post-tournament pizza party for the ball boys and girls in homage to his formative years crouching at the net.
In Switzerland, renaming streets, squares and the like after public figures is typically a posthumous honour.
The idea to change the arena's name has been floating around since 2012 but all attempts have so far flopped.
The initiators believe the move would have a positive impact on the city, tourism and tennis.
They nonetheless submitted their petition to the Basel City cantonal authorities on Monday in the hope that the request will be met.
The 12,400-capacity St. Jakobshalle opened in 1976.
The arena completed a three-year renovation in 2018 at a cost of around 100 million Swiss francs ($110 million, 93 million Euros).
The last time Federer played the Swiss Indoors and failed to reach the final was in 2003.
Currently the world number four, Federer has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles -- a record now shared with Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard's 2020 French Open victory.
He topped the 2020 Forbes magazine list of highest-paid global athletes, raking in pre-tax earnings of $106.3 million -- with $100 million coming from appearance fees and endorsement deals.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Sports
-
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
6 hours ago -
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
6 hours ago -
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
6 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
6 hours ago -
Bagnaia hits back with record Jerez practice lap
6 hours ago -
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
6 hours ago
-
Shahzaib Rind calls on Deputy Speaker Balochistan
8 hours ago -
Inter-university weightlifting championship kicks off at SAU
8 hours ago -
T20 World Cup 2024 Trophy unveiling ceremony held
8 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A table
9 hours ago -
Football: French Ligue 1 table
10 hours ago -
New Zealand cricket CEO visits PSCA, expresses satisfaction over security arrangements
10 hours ago