Jerzy Janowicz during his loss to Marin Cilić on Sunday: photo - PAP
"Poland has no prospects," Janowicz said on Sunday after losing a five-set thriller which would have kept his team in the Davis Cup.
Poland's attempt to reach the World Group Play Offs in September got off to a bad start on Friday at the Towar Arena in Warsaw when Michał Przysiężny lost to Marin Cilić in three sets (1:6, 4:6, 4:6) and Janowicz, rated 21 in the world, lost to 17 year-old Borna Corić 6:2, 2:6, 5:7, 7:5, 4:6.
The situation improved on Saturday in the doubles match when Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski beat Marin Draganja and Mate Pavić 6:7 (1-7), 7:6 (7-4), 4:6, 7:6 (7-2), 6:4.
That left Janowicz needing to beat Marin Cilić to stay in the tie, but after taking the first two sets, Poland's top male tennis star lost the next three, ending Poland's hopes of advancing in the Davis Cup.
After being interrogated by journalists at a press conference after the match on Sunday, Janowicz lost his temper.
"Who are you to criticize us?" a clearly upset Janowicz from Lodz in central Poland said, before going on to slam the sports system in the country and Poland in general.
"Poland is a country that has no prospects in sport, business or private life. Kids go to college just to get out of the country," a bitter 23 year-old Polish No. 1 said.
"We train in sheds. So why do you have such high expectations of us?".
In a country where tennis is not widely played and where facilities are limited, Poland's recent success at tennis has indeed been remarkable.
Janowicz reached the final of the Paris Masters in 2012 and became the first Polish man to reach a Grand Slam semifinal when he reached the last four at Wimbledon in 2013, where he lost to the eventual champion Andy Murray in four sets.
Meanwhile, Agnieszka Radwanska is currently ranked number three in the world by the WTA and reached the final at Wimbledon in 2012. (pg)