Roger Federer has become involved in a row with climate change activists including Greta Thunberg over his sponsorship deal with Credit Suisse

Roger Federer has become involved in a row with climate change activists including Greta Thunberg over his sponsorship deal with Credit Suisse.

The tennis star is sponsored by the bank, which has come under increasing scrutiny for its close ties to the fossil fuels industry.

Today he released a statement saying he takes the threat of climate change very seriously and said he appreciated reminders of his responsibility as a private individual.

It comes after the Swedish eco-warrior Greta Thunberg last week retweeted a post that said Credit Suisse has provided $57 billion to companies looking for new fossil fuel deposits.

The post also tagged Federer, asking if he endorsed it and use the hashtag #RogerWakeUpNow.

The post from 350.org Europe retweeted by her on January 8 read: 'Since 2016 @CreditSuisse has provided $57 BILLION to companies looking for new fossil fuel deposits – something that is utterly incompatible with #ClimateAction,' the tweet reads.

'@RogerFederer do you endorse this? #RogerWakeUpNow.'

Federer, who is currently taking part in a fundraising event in Melbourne in aid of Australia's bushfire crisis, released a statement this weekend in response but did not address Credit Suisse directly.

Greta Thunberg last week retweeted a post that said Credit Suisse has provided $57 billion to companies looking for new fossil fuel deposits. The post also tagged Federer, asking if he endorsed it and use the hashtag #RogerWakeUpNow

It read: 'I take the impacts and threat of climate change very seriously, particularly as my family and I arrive in Australia amidst devastation from the bushfires.

'As the father of four young children and a fervent supporter of universal education, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the youth climate movement, and I am grateful to young climate activists for pushing us all to examine our behaviours and act on innovative solutions.

Greta Thunberg (pictured) took a thinly-veiled swipe at the tennis star on Twitter

'We owe it to them and ourselves to listen. I appreciate reminders of my responsibility as a private individual, as an athlete and as an entrepreneur, and I'm committed to using this privileged position to dialogue on important issues with my sponsors.'

It comes as 12 protesters faced court in Switzerland this week after refusing to pay their fine for playing tennis in a branch of Credit Suisse in 2018.

It was a stunt which sought to draw attention to Federer's sponsorship by a bank which has close ties to the fossil fuels industry.

They also held up banners reading: 'Credit Suisse is destroying the planet. Roger, do you support them?'

The hashtag #RogerWakeUpNow has also been trending on Twitter.

Credit Suisse recently stated it is 'seeking to align its loan portfolios with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and has recently announced in the context of its global climate strategy that it will no longer invest in new coal-fired power plants'.