Top ATP Villains

[Moxie]

Who are the "villains" out there now in the ATP? What makes a villain, in tennis? What behaviors don't you tolerate?

Since AP keeps threatening to set up this thread but won't, and because I don't want to derail the other with talk of the recent Fognini incident, I'll figured I'd set this up. I think an inspiration was Benoit Paire, who @MargaretMcAleer has told us the French Federation has disqualified from the Olympics for his poor behavior. Who else wears the black hat in the ATP these days, for you? Maybe some past villains?

 

[Moxie]

I made this thread to discuss the Fognini incident, tbh. I don't actually think that F3 is that terrible, in general, but he sure can't help himself sometimes. He got disqualified from Barcelona yesterday for swearing at a line judge. From what I can glean, he had already gotten a warning for launching a ball out of the stadium. And from Italian press, this is what he said to the lines person (who had just called him for a foot fault,) that got him sent off by the Barcelona tournament director: “Sto c***o di giudice di linea di m***a mi ha rotto il c***o con sto fallo di piede”. (Rough translation, and reading in the deleted: "This dick and shitty line judge broke my balls for a foot fault." ) Now, that's ugly, but did he deserve to get defaulted for that? I also read in the Italian press that his Rome tournament might be on the line, as well as his RG.

 

[Moxie]

Babolat has issued a statement that they don't approve of the behavior of Paire and Fognini, but stopped short of dropping them. https://tennishead.net/we-do-not-ap...-babolat-tell-benoit-paire-and-fabio-fognini/

 

[the AntiPusher]

Who are the "villains" out there now in the ATP? What makes a villain, in tennis? What behaviors don't you tolerate?

Since AP keeps threatening to set up this thread but won't, and because I don't want to derail the other with talk of the recent Fognini incident, I'll figured I'd set this up. I think an inspiration was Benoit Paire, who @MargaretMcAleer has told us the French Federation has disqualified from the Olympics for his poor behavior. Who else wears the black hat in the ATP these days, for you? Maybe some past villains?

Thanks Moxie

I think this is a good topic because unlike the 80s when you just had two or three rogue Villains ( Mcenroe and Connors).. today's ATP has a list of rogue Villains that would make the cape crusader Batman to say "Damn" , Gotham isn't this bad.

1.Benoit Paire (The Joker)..Is probably the most noticed because every match he seems to be the architect of his own demise. Benoit is a ball striker who hits the ball beautifully but unlike Rafa, Paire takes way too many points not too seriously.
2.FF3. (The penguin) he has all the shots but is just a brutality mean spirited adolescent.
3. Daniil Medvedev (The Riddler) he has everything to win numerous grand slams but just can't stay out of his own way. I think he relishes being a bad guy. E.g. Scarface
4. Nick Krygrios (Bane) most certainly should be rank higher on the list due to having the tennis skills blessed by the tennis Gods..This young man is definitely a player who most likely suffering from bipolar symptoms. Another player who can’t get out of his own way. He blames everyone ( umpires, linesman, fans )for his poor results in grand slam results when it’s his off the court lifestyle and lack of atp level commitment to training which is issues. He amazes you with his tennis which is probably the most sublime on the tour until the boogeyman appears to show him how to snatch defeat from a sure victory.
5. Bernie Tomic..(the Scarecrow) just a kid who someone told the world he was projected to be the next best thing ..too bad that someone was another bad “Daddy”.. his father John..

Honorable mentioned..Novak Djokovic ( recent antics and his big mouth daddy).

 

[Jelenafan]

3. Daniil Medvedev (The Riddler) he has everything to win numerous grand slams but just can't stay out of his own way. I think he relishes being a bad guy. E.g. Scarface

I'm not particularly hostile to the grumpy Russian, do admire so much of his game. Yet his meltdowns are troublesome in that they can turn ugly quickly , ie the anger is reflected outwards towards others, as when he baits tournament crowds.

As a 20 year old he even had a meltdown in a challenger with racist overtones, ala Lleyton Hewitt.

Russian tennis player disqualified after going on racist rant

Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the Savannah Challenger on Thursday for making a racist comment insinuating the umpire ruled in favor of his opponent due to race.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It was right to disqualify him and while I don't hold it against him now, it was quite despicable what he did.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I'm not particularly hostile to the grumpy Russian, do admire so much of his game. Yet his meltdowns are troublesome in that they can turn ugly quickly , ie the anger is reflected outwards towards others, as when he baits tournament crowds.

As a 20 year old he even had a meltdown in a challenger with racist overtones, ala Lleyton Hewitt.

Russian tennis player disqualified after going on racist rant

Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the Savannah Challenger on Thursday for making a racist comment insinuating the umpire ruled in favor of his opponent due to race.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It was right to disqualify him and while I don't hold it against him now, it was quite despicable what he did.

Good point.. I removed Novak ..I remember LLeyton Hewitt racist comments in the match against James Blake because the lines person was black.

speaking of James Blake.. He is definitely a Avenger or Justice League hero.

In 2007 the Miami open , Donald Young Jr was playing a match against a Argentina Carlos Berlocq..it was on one of the outer courts . If you ever attended a match there, the Latin influence is very prominent and this match was very heavily influenced by that crowd against the young American. Berlocq purposely tried to make a mockery of young Donald which was evident by all of us who was in attendance. Berlocq defeated DYJr 6-06-0 with one of the worst displays of sportsmanship. However, standing in attendance was James Blake. We look at James and said, Brotha you got to do something about this. James smile and nodded ( no doubt). The very next round, same crowd but this time the American crowd wouldn’t be upstage by the Latin ( they were perfectly allowed to cheer for whowever they felt alligence towards) . Blake destroyed and totally dismantled Berlocq by the same score 6-0 6-0. I guess that was how the veteran American player was giving a payback from how Berlocq previously tried to make a mockery of the younger American game and confidence. That’s was a super hero moment. Many kudos to JBlake.

 

[Moxie]

I'm not particularly hostile to the grumpy Russian, do admire so much of his game. Yet his meltdowns are troublesome in that they can turn ugly quickly , ie the anger is reflected outwards towards others, as when he baits tournament crowds.

As a 20 year old he even had a meltdown in a challenger with racist overtones, ala Lleyton Hewitt.

Russian tennis player disqualified after going on racist rant

Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the Savannah Challenger on Thursday for making a racist comment insinuating the umpire ruled in favor of his opponent due to race.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It was right to disqualify him and while I don't hold it against him now, it was quite despicable what he did.

Wow, I didn't know that story about Medvedev. That's pretty bad, and it almost exactly what Hewitt said. In general, I have been thinking that Meddie, since he's risen so high in the game, is rather trying not to wear the black hat anymore. I get the impression that sometimes he can't quite help himself, rather like Fognini. Emotional hotheads, and I'd put Nick in that category. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's just ugly.

Paire and Tomic, on the other hand, are just jerks. I'd add Gulbis to this group. Luckily for us, Bernie and Ernie are all but gone. And I'd wager no one will miss Benoit when he is, too.

I saw AP's earlier inclusion of Novak, which is, of course, controversial, but I get where it comes from. Novak thinks of himself as very much a Good Guy, but he can let his emotions get the better of him and then commits the "faux-apology" when called out. He mostly just feels put-upon and is pretty unrepentant about his racquet breaking and ball-launching. It's nice to be #1 if you're going to act like that.

@the AntiPusher: I like that anecdote about Blake. James Blake is a major Good Guy, and, let me add, another guy who never once broke a racquet.

 

[rafanoy1992]

I don't know if he is considered a villain but one tennis player that comes into my mind is Lukas Rosol. Nadal is not the only player that "dislike" him. There was one instance in which Murray told Rosol during a match "Everybody hates you."

 

[Front242]

I'm not particularly hostile to the grumpy Russian, do admire so much of his game. Yet his meltdowns are troublesome in that they can turn ugly quickly , ie the anger is reflected outwards towards others, as when he baits tournament crowds.

As a 20 year old he even had a meltdown in a challenger with racist overtones, ala Lleyton Hewitt.

Russian tennis player disqualified after going on racist rant

Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the Savannah Challenger on Thursday for making a racist comment insinuating the umpire ruled in favor of his opponent due to race.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It was right to disqualify him and while I don't hold it against him now, it was quite despicable what he did.

I honestly don't think it's despicable or worthy of being defaulted. Lose a game max. The world is way too bloody soft these days. Either way, doubt Medvedev gives much of a damn now. Look at his career and look at Young's...

 

[Front242]

I don't know if he is considered a villain but one tennis player that comes into my mind is Lukas Rosol. Nadal is not the only player that "dislike" him. There was one instance in which Murray told Rosol during a match "Everybody hates you."

I was waiting for someone to mention him but I don't see anything to dislike in him at all other than Murray's stupid comment. Murray with his pathetic cursing and bickering on court is a sorry sight for viewing and who cares about what Murray says ? Plenty of people can't stand him either.

 

[Moxie]

I don't know if he is considered a villain but one tennis player that comes into my mind is Lukas Rosol. Nadal is not the only player that "dislike" him. There was one instance in which Murray told Rosol during a match "Everybody hates you."

I remember that. Wonder what that was about? Speaking of Nadal-torturers, Soderling was another one who didn't mind being a bad guy, but did try to soften it when he became more of a top player.

 

[Moxie]

I honestly don't think it's despicable or worthy of being defaulted. Lose a game max. The world is way too bloody soft these days. Either way, doubt Medvedev gives much of a damn now. Look at his career and look at Young's...

It was blatantly racist. He was saying that the umpire was unfairly inclined towards a player simply because they were both Black. That's not the world being "soft." That is tennis not tolerating a racist remark on court. Sounds right to me. BTW, did you see the Fognini ejection? That was him swearing, only, and I wonder if that one was a bit much. Any opinion?

 

[Front242]

It was blatantly racist. He was saying that the umpire was unfairly inclined towards a player simply because they were both Black. That's not the world being "soft." That is tennis not tolerating a racist remark on court. Sounds right to me. BTW, did you see the Fognini ejection? That was him swearing, only, and I wonder if that one was a bit much. Any opinion?

Haven't watched the Fognini default yet and must watch it over the next few days. Re the Medvedev remark, she didn't exactly have much tolerance did she ? The right thing to do would be tell the player she just saw the ball as out and there was nothing more to it than that and that she wasn't siding with anyone over anything and to calm down and play on but she had to default him. I see it differently but that's fine. Not like he couldn't have still won the match and he probably would have as he's a much better player.

 

[Moxie]

Haven't watched the Fognini default yet and must watch it over the next few days. Re the Medvedev remark, she didn't exactly have much tolerance did she ? The right thing to do would be tell the player she just saw the ball as out and there was nothing more to it than that and that she wasn't siding with anyone over anything and to calm down and play on but she had to default him. I see it differently but that's fine. Not like he couldn't have still won the match and he probably would have as he's a much better player.

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.

 

[the AntiPusher]

It was blatantly racist. He was saying that the umpire was unfairly inclined towards a player simply because they were both Black. That's not the world being "soft." That is tennis not tolerating a racist remark on court. Sounds right to me. BTW, did you see the Fognini ejection? That was him swearing, only, and I wonder if that one was a bit much. Any opinion?

What did Fognini say to the line judge? I love that exchange between Murray and Fog..it was a classic..Murray, Rafa and Novak has had their incidents with a few opposing players..Roger has had any known incidents..maybe because he is so beloved that there’s a fear of turning the major of Fed nation against that player..

 

[Moxie]

What did Fognini say to the line judge? I love that exchange between Murray and Fog..it was a classic..Murray, Rafa and Novak has had their incidents with a few opposing players..Roger has had any known incidents..maybe because he is so beloved that there’s a fear of turning the major of Fed nation against that player..

I posted in the 2nd entry here what Fognini said. It's rude and profane, but he surely isn't the first. Totally forgot about the Murray Fog one.

 

[Moxie]

This is my favorite Fognini meltdown of all time:

 

[Jelenafan]

Daniil Medvedev, I give him kudos for variety..

Tennis - Medvedev loses the plot by tossing coins at umpire's chair

A hot and bothered Daniil Medvedev is facing disciplinary action from Wimbledon officials after a bizarre row with umpire Mariana Alves ended with him tossing coins at the official's chair on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

After shaking hands with his conqueror, Medvedev grabbed his wallet and pulled out some coins before hurling them toward the foot of the umpire’s chair.

Seriously, cursing is for novices, Medvedev gets creative....; )

 

[Moxie]

Daniil Medvedev, I give him kudos for variety..

Tennis - Medvedev loses the plot by tossing coins at umpire's chair

A hot and bothered Daniil Medvedev is facing disciplinary action from Wimbledon officials after a bizarre row with umpire Mariana Alves ended with him tossing coins at the official's chair on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

Seriously, cursing is for novices, Medvedev gets creative....; )

Agreed points for creativity. Smashing racquets and cursing is for beginners. Tossing coins is almost Biblical.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I made this thread to discuss the Fognini incident, tbh. I don't actually think that F3 is that terrible, in general, but he sure can't help himself sometimes. He got disqualified from Barcelona yesterday for swearing at a line judge. From what I can glean, he had already gotten a warning for launching a ball out of the stadium. And from Italian press, this is what he said to the lines person (who had just called him for a foot fault,) that got him sent off by the Barcelona tournament director: “Sto c***o di giudice di linea di m***a mi ha rotto il c***o con sto fallo di piede”. (Rough translation, and reading in the deleted: "This dick and shitty line judge broke my balls for a foot fault." ) Now, that's ugly, but did he deserve to get defaulted for that? I also read in the Italian press that his Rome tournament might be on the line, as well as his RG.

Yeah. It was pretty abusive but not threatening