Top ATP Villains

[Front242]

This is my favorite Fognini meltdown of all time:

Was thinking it was that one and was thinking about it last night. I remembered him saying Madonna but was too late to search for it. Classic stuff. The umpire was literally pissing himself

 

[Front242]

You always think these things can be swept away by who would have won anyway, or who has the better career, so what does it matter? You're ignoring what happened at that moment. What Medvedev said was racist. He was implying that the umpire couldn't be impartial because she was Black and so was Young. That is vastly different from merely complaining about a call. Personally, I'm glad if tennis won't tolerate racism, or at least makes efforts not to. You "see it differently," but I'd ask you to examine your own heart. To me, Medvedev needed to understand why that was intolerable. It's a matter of the ethics of the game, and how the crowd would perceive it, too. Tennis chose not to tolerate that, which I agree with. Has tennis been consistent in its punishment of these kinds of unsportsmanlike things? No, it has not. Hewitt made a nearly similar remark, playing v. Blake at the USO, and not only didn't get ejected, he didn't even get fined. But I have no sympathy for Medvedev in this instance. He crossed an ugly line and got done for it.

You'll have a hard time finding out what Fabio really said. I posted what I could find from Italian media. While it was rude, and he was already down one mark on unsportsmanlike, I'm not clear that this was one where he should have been ejected. He's going to contest it, so I guess we'll see down the road.

Is it coz I'ze Black? Still think that was lame on behalf of the umpire but we'll agree to disagree. She didn't need to default him there and was just playing the victim card.

 

[Moxie]

She didn't need to default him there and was just playing the victim card.

She didn't default him. The umpire never does. The tournament director did, who was a man, and white.

 

[Front242]

She didn't default him. The umpire never does. The tournament director did, who was a man, and white.

Fair enough. Still think it was a bit much.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Fognini May Sue ATP Over Damage to His Image.

www.tennisnow.com/Blogs/NET-POSTS/April-2021/fognini-may-sue-atp-over-damage-to-his-image

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

If Fognini is trying to clean up his 'image' didn't he call a female umpire 'a whore' at the USO? I am trying to remember the actual year? maybe another poster can help

 

[Moxie]

If Fognini is trying to clean up his 'image' didn't he call a female umpire 'a whore' at the USO? I am trying to remember the actual year? maybe another poster can help

He did, in 2017 and got a ban from Majors for a while, I forget. Accusing the ATP of damaging his image is a bit rich, given how hard he's worked at damaging it himself, over the years. I do think he's been trying to be more serious about his tennis and his results, but he can't seem to control his temper. Unless or when more comes out about what happened in the Barcelona match, though, it doesn't seem that it rises to the level of a DQ.

 

[Moxie]

Speaking of rehabilitating one's image, I thought Nick was interesting during the pandemic, staying home in Oz but taking to Twitter to tell off some other players for their own pandemic misbehavior and selfishness. I completely agreed with him, and it was interesting to see him taking the high moral ground. When's he coming back?

 

[Jelenafan]

Speaking of rehabilitating one's image, I thought Nick was interesting during the pandemic, staying home in Oz but taking to Twitter to tell off some other players for their own pandemic misbehavior and selfishness. I completely agreed with him, and it was interesting to see him taking the high moral ground. When's he coming back?

There comes a point where 14 months into the pandemic era, with the safety protocols and vaccinations in place, Nick's continued absence from the tour could be perceived as more self serving than simply reasonable health concerns. We are not at that point yet, however it should be noted that South American, South African, other Asian and far flung regions have a lot of their players back on tour, and the tour has a full schedule going.

Call me cynical, but I get how players could keep their ranking points without playing and that understandably factored in their hiatus, but there will come a point when the pendulum of public opinion will shift regarding such machinations.

 

[Moxie]

There comes a point where 14 months into the pandemic era, with the safety protocols and vaccinations in place, Nick's continued absence from the tour could be perceived as more self serving than simply reasonable health concerns. We are not at that point yet, however it should be noted that South American, South African, other Asian and far flung regions have a lot of their players back on tour, and the tour has a full schedule going.

Call me cynical, but I get how players could keep their ranking points without playing and that understandably factored in their hiatus, but there will come a point when the pendulum of public opinion will shift regarding such machinations.

There also comes a point when the points won't hold up. I'm trying to be agnostic about everyone's choices during the pandemic. Nick has made it clear that he's not sure how much he loves tennis. Maybe the rubber has hit the road for him, and he's not that interested in coming back. The tour, in normal times, is a slog. Right now, it's worse, because it's so proscribed for the players. You can't even enjoy the travel part. I hope Nick comes back, and better than ever. It may be a bit cynical to say that all players are staying out because they can rest on their points. It is really hard to say what this pandemic does to everyone's nerves and choices, esp. based on family and other things.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Speaking of rehabilitating one's image, I thought Nick was interesting during the pandemic, staying home in Oz but taking to Twitter to tell off some other players for their own pandemic misbehavior and selfishness. I completely agreed with him, and it was interesting to see him taking the high moral ground. When's he coming back?

It's called consistent dosage of bipolar meds is why he is under control.it won't last

 

[Jelenafan]

There also comes a point when the points won't hold up. I'm trying to be agnostic about everyone's choices during the pandemic. Nick has made it clear that he's not sure how much he loves tennis. Maybe the rubber has hit the road for him, and he's not that interested in coming back. The tour, in normal times, is a slog. Right now, it's worse, because it's so proscribed for the players. You can't even enjoy the travel part. I hope Nick comes back, and better than ever. It may be a bit cynical to say that all players are staying out because they can rest on their points. It is really hard to say what this pandemic does to everyone's nerves and choices, esp. based on family and other things.

Understandably, but this isn’t limited to tennis players, people with less economic security, who’s jobs are a slog without travel have all had to cope. Sports is a luxury and entertainment , but lets not fool ourselves that working as a professional athlete is an onerous burden compared to 99.99 % of the rest of the people. The rank and file journeyman players who scrape by economically as a group it seems have tried to comeback as quickly as they could, it is their livelihood, and many have expressed that eloquently.

Those more “elite” higher ranked, have more options, again not that much different from society in general.

There is a reason the points haven’t slid off, but to say it’s one factor among others why some stay off the tour isn’t to be completely bathed in cynicism , it’s just pragmatic acknowledgement. Kyrgios is by most accounts financially secure compared to most , so again, another factor.

Again, sports, like the arts is a luxury. (A luxury I “need” ; ) ) Look at how the complaints and demands about the conditions at the AO by the players created a backlash in Oz.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Speaking of rehabilitating one's image, I thought Nick was interesting during the pandemic, staying home in Oz but taking to Twitter to tell off some other players for their own pandemic misbehavior and selfishness. I completely agreed with him, and it was interesting to see him taking the high moral ground. When's he coming back?

I don't think we will see him until the grass season.

 

[Jelenafan]

Ion Tiriac was a piece of work. Someone who stooped to levels of gamesmanship/cheating that its hard to conceive today.

The infamous Davis Cup final of Romania versus the US Davis Cup final '72. Everyone not from Romania, including the Referee and the Chair said it was the worst officiating they had ever witnessed.

Rumors swirled that the Romanian linesmen had accepted cash bribes; it got so bad that the Referee told the American DC captain Ralston to advise his players not hit anywhere near the lines because they wouldn't get the calls. One bizarre series of events had Tiriac serving a serve out which was returned by Stan Smith for a clean winner, the linesman reversed his original call and said that Tiriac's serve was in and that Smith's return was out. Reportedly at one junction , a linesman was massaging Tiriac's leg at to help with a cramp, and between delaying constantly between points to upset Stan Smith's rhythm, or when winded instructing the crowd to to make noise to help delay play, Tiriac browbeated the linesmen practically giving orders to change calls in his favor throughout both his matches. At one point he sat on the chair's platform when a call went against him, inciting the crowd and audibly cursing out the American players to rile the fans up even more. Stan Smith admitted later he was close to a total mental meltdown, convinced they would not let him win the match. Tiriac was counting on that as it had worked in his five set match with Tom Gorman.

Somehow when Stan Smith won the 5th set (taking the crowd, linesmen and Tiriac out of the match by hitting a whole slew of winners in a bagel set ) it's said he shook Tiriac's hand and commented “I lost a lot of respect for you today." For the mild mannered Stan Smith that was the equivalent of foaming trash talk.

 

[Moxie]

Understandably, but this isn’t limited to tennis players, people with less economic security, who’s jobs are a slog without travel have all had to cope. Sports is a luxury and entertainment , but lets not fool ourselves that working as a professional athlete is an onerous burden compared to 99.99 % of the rest of the people. The rank and file journeyman players who scrape by economically as a group it seems have tried to comeback as quickly as they could, it is their livelihood, and many have expressed that eloquently.

Those more “elite” higher ranked, have more options, again not that much different from society in general.

There is a reason the points haven’t slid off, but to say it’s one factor among others why some stay off the tour isn’t to be completely bathed in cynicism , it’s just pragmatic acknowledgement. Kyrgios is by most accounts financially secure compared to most , so again, another factor.

Again, sports, like the arts is a luxury. (A luxury I “need” ; ) ) Look at how the complaints and demands about the conditions at the AO by the players created a backlash in Oz.

This is a well-made argument, and I agree with it in general purposes. I also agree that a lot of whining about protocols from players who have opted to play is hard to find sympathy for. All I'm saying is that if an individual player, in this case Kyrgios, opts not to play, I respect that choice. Sure, Nick has more options than your journeyman players who need to make a living and he has the current point system to help protect his ranking. But he isn't complaining, he is simply choosing for himself when he's going to play. I don't have a problem with that.

 

[Moxie]

Ion Tiriac was a piece of work. Someone who stooped to levels of gamesmanship/cheating that its hard to conceive today.

The infamous Davis Cup final of Romania versus the US Davis Cup final '72. Everyone not from Romania, including the Referee and the Chair said it was the worst officiating they had ever witnessed.

Rumors swirled that the Romanian linesmen had accepted cash bribes; it got so bad that the Referee told the American DC captain Ralston to advise his players not hit anywhere near the lines because they wouldn't get the calls. One bizarre series of events had Tiriac serving a serve out which was returned by Stan Smith for a clean winner, the linesman reversed his original call and said that Tiriac's serve was in and that Smith's return was out. Reportedly at one junction , a linesman was massaging Tiriac's leg at to help with a cramp, and between delaying constantly between points to upset Stan Smith's rhythm, or when winded instructing the crowd to to make noise to help delay play, Tiriac browbeated the linesmen practically giving orders to change calls in his favor throughout both his matches. At one point he sat on the chair's platform when a call went against him, inciting the crowd and audibly cursing out the American players to rile the fans up even more. Stan Smith admitted later he was close to a total mental meltdown, convinced they would not let him win the match. Tiriac was counting on that as it had worked in his five set match with Tom Gorman.

Somehow when Stan Smith won the 5th set (taking the crowd, linesmen and Tiriac out of the match by hitting a whole slew of winners in a bagel set ) it's said he shook Tiriac's hand and commented “I lost a lot of respect for you today." For the mild mannered Stan Smith that was the equivalent of foaming trash talk.

That is an amazing story and thank you for that. Tiriac is surely one of the worst villains ever in tennis.

 

[Fiero425]

Yeah. It was pretty abusive but not threatening

I can only remember one player OTTH that was literally threatening; talking about shoving a tennis ball down the throat of a lineswoman, then hearing something about "killing" later echo'd by the player during discussions with the Tourney officials! Any guesses where and when this made international news, substantial fines, a default on MP, and subsequent 2 year probation?

 

[Moxie]

I can only remember one player OTTH that was literally threatening; talking about shoving a tennis ball down the throat of a lineswoman, then hearing something about "killing" later echo'd by the player during discussions with the Tourney officials! Any guesses where and when this made international news, substantial fines, a default on MP, and subsequent 2 year probation?

The thread is about ATP Villains. If you want to slag Serena, start your own thread for WTA Villains.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Who talked me out of putting Novak on this list? (I bet it was that Miss do gooder TF sister of mine .. Moxie ) .Yelling at the young referee a few days ago and throwing his racket at the baseboard today. Someone needs to update the list or I will unless one of his loyal fans can provide a compelling argument to detour me.

 

[Moxie]

Who talked me out of putting Novak on this list? (I bet it was that Miss do gooder TF sister of mine .. Moxie ) .Yelling at the young referee a few days ago and throwing his racket at the baseboard today. Someone needs to update the list or I will unless one of his loyal fans can provide a compelling argument to detour me.

You edited it yourself before anyone commented, but I saw it and actually tried to get him back on the list. It would never have been me to push him off. LOL.