Yanina Wickmayer's father Marc has said his daughter will not play in Belgium's Fed Cup tie against Estonia unless she is in the starting singles lineup. The two nations will meet in Hasselt, Belgium, at the end of April.
Wickmayer is currently the highest-ranked Belgian, but with comeback queens Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin also on the team, she could find herself warming the bench until the tie is decided.
"It's the beginning of the clay season and Yanina does not want to risk injury in a match without significance," Marc Wickmayer told Le Soir, questioning Henin's motives for volunteering for the tie. "Why does Justine want to play? Because the match is taking place in Belgium? To look after her popularity in Flanders? If she's there again next year to go to Russia or the Czech Republic, then I'll present her with my apologies."
Marc Wickmayer also said Clijsters "doesn't talk to me a lot and is very distant with Yanina."
Yanina, however, has indicated she would be willing to play either way. "If I have to play, I'll play. If not, I'll encourage the others," she said. "The most important thing is that Belgium wins. I don't want to impose myself."