Swiss Roger Federer figthing for his German tennis colleagues, calling the idea that no man from the country has “qualified” for the London Olympic team under really improbable conditions “a joke”.

National Olympic bosses had declared that only players ranked in the Top-25 would be eligible for selection for the event to be played at Wimbledon. “It is a joke how high the criteria has been set,” said Federer. “I'd like to see as many German players as possible at Wimbledon,” he added.

The German heads are adamant about this rule despite the fact that ITF regulations say anyone with a ranking of 56 or better is eligible for the Olympics. The top Germans are Florian Mayer (28th) and Philipp Kohlschreiber (29th) with Halle winner Tommy Haas standing at 49th on the ATP charts.

“Kohlschreiber has beaten Rafael Nadal, Tommy has beaten me, and we are two of the favourites for both Wimbledon and the Olympics,” said Federer, who criticized the German order. “You have to open the eyes, look beyond the boundaries and see the bigger picture.”