Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez has called the Spanish Tennis Federation's decision to fire her as the Fed Cup and Davis Cup captain as unfair and disrespectful.
Martinez lashed out after the federation announced Thursday that its board of directors unanimously decided to "make a change in the leadership of its professional teams, in order to face new challenges in 2018".
Martinez has said she wanted to stay. She has been head of the Fed Cup team since 2013, and of the Davis Cup team since 2015. It's understood she was contracted until December this year.
"I want to share my disappointment and discomfort with the Spanish federation," Martinez said in a statement.
"It is very ungrateful to take over the helm during a storm and then be taken away after you reach the calm."
She said she had not lost her motivation and was looking forward to upcoming ties.
Spain lost its quarter-final in April to Serbia in Davis Cup. It lost in the first round of the Fed Cup to the Czech Republic in February but won the world group play-off against France (4-0) two months later.
"After all my contribution and dedication to Spanish tennis, I don't think I deserved an ending like this, so disrespectful," Martinez said.
The 45-year-old, who was Wimbledon champion in 1994, said she had been feeling "abandoned" in recent months and foresaw the possibility of being let go, especially when she was not allowed to follow Spanish players at grand slams.
In addition to her triumph at the All England Club, Martinez won five Fed Cups as a player. She retired in 2006.
But under her captaincy, the Fed Cup team has not won a world group tie. She cautiously agreed to take over the men's team in 2015 after the previous captain, Gala Leon, was fired for lacking support from the players.
She led the men back into the world group last year and to the quarterfinals this year.
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