Federer and Safin oppose using TV replays

BERLIN, Mar 22 (Reuters) World number one Roger Federer and Marat Safin vehemently oppose the planned introduction of television replays to judge close line calls during matches, Die Welt newspaper reported today.

''It is madness what is happening. A pure waste of money,'' Swiss Federer told the paper.

Instant replays will be used to determine tight calls for the first time on the professional tour in the dual men's and women's event in Miami this week. Players will be allowed to dispute two calls per set.

Wimbledon, U S and Australian Open champion Federer said he could not understand ''the incredible effort'' undertaken to correct decisions, adding that mistakes were evened out in the course of a match, a tournament or a season.

Russian Safin, who along with Federer is competing in Miami, also criticised the change, arguing it would slow the game and deaden the spectacle.

''Who was the genius who came up with this idiotic idea?'', Die Welt quoted the former U S and Australian Open winner as saying.

''(There are) a thousand ways of making tennis more lively and attractive, but video evidence is definitely not one of them,'' he said.

REUTERS PDS KN2141