Roger Federer will have to shrug off a bizarre death threat as he returns to action at the Shanghai Masters from Sunday to combat Novak Djokovic’s attempt on his world number one crown.
Security precautions are in place for the Swiss player and his family in the teeming Chinese city, after a unknown blogger made the outlandish threat to “assassinate” the 17-time Grand Slam champion.
“On October 6, I plan to assassinate Federer for the purpose of tennis extermination,” read the message, posted under the name ‘Blue Cat Polytheistic Religion Founder 07’ on baidu.com.
The user also posted a doctored image showing a decapitated Federer on his knees on a tennis court, with an axe-wielding executioner posing next to him.
While the credibility of the threat was unknown, organisers were taking no chances.
“We are fully aware of the comments that have been made and we take all such issues seriously,” a tournament official told AFP.