What’s wrong with everybody?

[Nadalfan2013]

Every match I watch and there’s some player smashing rackets! Currently watching Kyrgios and Norrie and this Norrie guy has smashed his racket about 10 times. And we already know about the behaviour of Zverev, Tsitsipas and Djokovic just a few days ago. Get your acts together you fools! Disgusting.

 

[don_fabio]

There is nothing wrong with a little bit of racket breaking as long as it doesn't endanger someone. Didn't know Tsitsipas can be on some thug sh...t, so yeah, what he did was foolish. Could make a good meme though. Looks like players have hard time accepting loosing for their country instead for themselves only.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

There is nothing wrong with a little bit of racket breaking as long as it doesn't endanger someone. Didn't know Tsitsipas can be on some thug sh...t, so yeah, what he did was foolish. Could make a good meme though. Looks like players have hard time accepting loosing for their country instead for themselves only.

Yeah well usually when they do hit somebody else it’s by accident. So how do you predict if the racket is going to slip from the hand or bounce and hit someone? When you’re upset and you’re making a furious movement with the racket, anything can happen.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Get over it. This is their livelihood and a lot is on the line. These guys are ultra competitive. They can be forgiven for showing frustration.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Get over it. This is their livelihood and a lot is on the line. These guys are ultra competitive. They can be forgiven for showing frustration.

:cuckoo:

 

[tented]

Get over it. This is their livelihood and a lot is on the line. These guys are ultra competitive. They can be forgiven for showing frustration.

But you can also look at the two greatest players of all time, and see that racquet breaking and showing an extreme level of frustration doesn’t help. Roger famously used to be a blizzard of emotions on court, then took action to eliminate that behavior. I can remember only one time when he has smashed a racquet (Miami, 2009) in the last 15 years. And Rafa has never smashed one. Of course they have shown frustration at bad decisions by umpires, and other incidents, but they get over them quickly, and move on.

Tsitsipas, Zverev, Norrie, etc. can smash as many racquets as they want (and pay the fines), but they need to realize this behavior is ultimately only hurting them. If they learned to reign in their emotions, their results could be better.

 

[Jelenafan]

Bjorn Borg famously reigned in his temperladen outbursts as a junior to become the stoic champ of the 70’s whereas McEnroe infamously never did.

It’s funny how the two Most extreme cases in men’s tennis history played each other in the same era.

Going to my grave I’m convinced McEnroe’s lack of self discipline with his temperament hurt his tennis down the line, IIRC he never won another Major past age 25. While he won with his antics , even his freakish talent couldn’t let him get away with it forever.

 

[brokenshoelace]

But you can also look at the two greatest players of all time, and see that racquet breaking and showing an extreme level of frustration doesn’t help. Roger famously used to be a blizzard of emotions on court, then took action to eliminate that behavior. I can remember only one time when he has smashed a racquet (Miami, 2009) in the last 15 years. And Rafa has never smashed one. Of course they have shown frustration at bad decisions by umpires, and other incidents, but they get over them quickly, and move on.

Tsitsipas, Zverev, Norrie, etc. can smash as many racquets as they want (and pay the fines), but they need to realize this behavior is ultimately only hurting them. If they learned to reign in their emotions, their results could be better.

Typically, I'm against using outliers. Nadal and Federer are the exception, and not just in the amount of success they've had. In terms of not showing any frustration on court, they're very unique among active players (obviously more so Nadal than Federer but I think both control their temper very well). You can use Novak, who's been almost as successful, as a counterargument. He wears his emotions on his sleeves and isn't above drama and antics.

My general point isn't that players shouldn't look to control their temper a lot more. Of course they should, for the most part. My issue is acting like something is "wrong" with them because they occasionally lose it. It's quite a high horse to sit on and make such a claim, especially by those of us who will never ever understand quite what it's like to compete at that level.

 

[Bonaca]

Typically, I'm against using outliers. Nadal and Federer are the exception, and not just in the amount of success they've had. In terms of not showing any frustration on court, they're very unique among active players (obviously more so Nadal than Federer but I think both control their temper very well). You can use Novak, who's been almost as successful, as a counterargument. He wears his emotions on his sleeves and isn't above drama and antics.

My general point isn't that players shouldn't look to control their temper a lot more. Of course they should, for the most part. My issue is acting like something is "wrong" with them because they occasionally lose it. It's quite a high horse to sit on and make such a claim, especially by those of us who will never ever understand quite what it's like to compete at that level.

Good post, thumbs up.

I would say a lot of forum members dont know what serious competion is about.

 

[Jelenafan]

Good post, thumbs up.

I would say a lot of forum members dont know what serious competion is about.

Condescending much?

 

[Bonaca]

Condescending much?

No. Just suggesting.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

I have to say that Federer screaming the F word, then intimidating the woman lines judge when he knew exactly what he said, then making a whole scene while his opponent is facing a break point and then storming out of the stadium even though there was no sign of injury just because his opponent was painting the lines is truly a new low. He managed to steal the win but hopefully Djokovic will bagel him (if he shows up) as a punishment.

 

[Ricardo]

Condescending much?

or you think you know? tell us about your exceptional experience then.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Shapovalov during his loss against Pospisil behaved truly in a violent disgusting way. I can’t see myself ever rooting for such human beings.

 

[Front242]

Shapovalov during his loss against Pospisil behaved truly in a violent disgusting way. I can’t see myself ever rooting for such human beings.

And yet you have no problem frequently telling everyone here how much you like a player's big, hairy ass. What a world we live in and fits perfectly with the title of your thread...

 

[Nadalfan2013]

And yet you have no problem frequently telling everyone here how much you like a player's big, hairy ass. What a world we live in and fits perfectly with the title of your thread...

yes and while you’re at it why not also compare commenting on boobs with cursing in front of children. What does commenting on someone’s looks have to do with cursing and violently breaking rackets that almost bounce on line judges and ball kids while young kids are watching.

 

[Front242]

yes and while you’re at it why not also compare commenting on boobs with cursing in front of children. What does commenting on someone’s looks have to do with cursing and violently breaking rackets that almost bounce on line judges and ball kids while young kids are watching.

I see no problem with saying "hey son, look at those fucking titties!" (oYo)

You need to calm down. The broken racquets never hurt anyone except usually the player themself as their games have usually gone to shit that day when they do that and they mostly lose.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

I see no problem with saying "hey son, look at those fucking titties!" (oYo)

You need to calm down. The broken racquets never hurt anyone except usually the player themself as their games have usually gone to shit that day when they do that and they mostly lose.

It just shows how they cannot control their temper. How do you think that some men end up hitting women during an angry argument? It’s because they lose control (and don’t care to get help). Shapovalov is a mess, he should get some help. When he loses it’s as if he becomes possessed and violent. It’s about self control but also respect for the game which begins with the equipment. Not to mention that kids are watching and will think it’s ok.

 

[Moxie]

You need to calm down. The broken racquets never hurt anyone except usually the player themself as their games have usually gone to shit that day when they do that and they mostly lose.

I'm not very interested in getting in the middle of this silly argument, on what is basically a silly thread. But I think we both know that it's inaccurate to say that smashing a racquet never hurt anyone. (Nalbandian at Queen's made a linesman bleed. Tsitsipas recently injured his own father taking an angry swipe.) I don't really care if players bounce the odd racquet in anger. As you say, usually the only one that suffers is them, getting a code violation. And I have no idea if what Shapo did v. Pospisil, as Nadalfan2013 seems to get exercised over nothing. But I did think that Shapovalov would have learned something about incautious outbursts of temper a few years back at DC. He hit a ball in anger after the point was over, it accidentally hit the chair umpire in the eye, and he had to have surgery on it. (Also, it cost Shapo the match and Canada the tie.) I really did think he'd have learned to control his temper better, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Shame, because it's sure not helping his tennis, it seems.

 

[Front242]

I'm not very interested in getting in the middle of this silly argument, on what is basically a silly thread. But I think we both know that it's inaccurate to say that smashing a racquet never hurt anyone. (Nalbandian at Queen's made a linesman bleed. Tsitsipas recently injured his own father taking an angry swipe.) I don't really care if players bounce the odd racquet in anger. As you say, usually the only one that suffers is them, getting a code violation. And I have no idea if what Shapo did v. Pospisil, as Nadalfan2013 seems to get exercised over nothing. But I did think that Shapovalov would have learned something about incautious outbursts of temper a few years back at DC. He hit a ball in anger after the point was over, it accidentally hit the chair umpire in the eye, and he had to have surgery on it. (Also, it cost Shapo the match and Canada the tie.) I really did think he'd have learned to control his temper better, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Shame, because it's sure not helping his tennis, it seems.

Hitting a ball hard is much different than breaking a racquet and, yes, that was a very unfortunate incident. Going back to breaking racquets though, the number of times anyone has actually been hurt is very, very low and re Nalbandian, it wasn't his racquet that caused the linesman's leg to bleed, it was when he kicked the stand which dismantled.