Tim Smith, an Australian MP from Victoria, the host state for the Australian Open, has said that Roger Federer may have been right in deciding not to travel for the year’s first Grand Slam.

The MP said he hoped, for the sake of the sport, that the Swiss tennis superstar will be back at Melbourne Park when it’s safe for him as well as the Victorian community to do so.

However, the tenor of his tweet seemed to indicate that Federer could have been a risk to the community if had decided to travel for the event. 

Roger Federer skipping the Grand Slam

While the six-time Australian Open champion pulled out this year, citing lack of fitness, there’s a belief that his decision could have had something to do with the tough quarantine rules laid down for the event.

“Roger Federer…all class…let’s hope he can come back when it’s safe to come back and no risk to all hardworking Victorians!” the MP tweeted.

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If the Federer remark was hard to stomach, the one that followed was downright obscene. 

Three-time Grand Slam winner recently took to Twitter Stan Wawrinka to post a picture of himself enjoying a cup of coffee at his hotel in Melbourne. In response to the post, Tim Smith voiced his anger over the fact that the Swiss star could enter the nation.

He even used the slang ‘flog’ for Wawrinka, which means foolish.

“For every Victorian currently in Sydney that is banned from returning home by Daniel Andrews, this obscene double standard, where this flog of a tennis player is allowed in, and our own people aren’t, must make so many Victorian families incandescent,” his post read.

Twitter users disagree with Smith

The remark drew many caustic comments, with one saying, “Point scoring on the Australian Open is just about the easiest political win in the country right now, and you’ve somehow fumbled it. Very impressive.”

Another user said, “It’s the Australian Open, not the Victorian Open. Tennis Australia worked with the Federal Government. Feds issued 1200 VISAs. Feds are responsible for bringing home the 40,000 they promised to, prior to Christmas. You, Sir, are the flog here, and not the grateful tennis player.”

When Roger Federer Called Reporter’s Question ‘Stupid’ After Losing to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open

While the Twitter rage over the remark will continue, Wawrinka couldn’t care less as he would be happy to cut out all external noise and focus on clinching his fourth trophy at Melbourne Park.