Men behaving badly has been one of the main stories in tennis so far this season.
Novak Djokovic messing up draws by not withdrawing in a timely manner despite knowing he wouldn’t be playing. Daniil Medvedev throwing temper tantrums. Alexander Zverev threatening a chair umpire. Nick Kyrgios almost hitting a ballboy with a racket.
And now Jenson Brooksby joins the club–the same one as Kyrgios, in fact.
In his first-round match against Federico Coria at the Miami Open on Thursday afternoon, Brooksby threw his racket in frustration after losing a point during the third set. It would not have been a big deal except that the racket went straight toward a ballboy at the back wall and forced him to avoid it with a move of which even Vince Vaughn in “Dodgeball” would be jealous.
Chair umpire Carlos Bernardes hit Brooksby with a point penalty for a second unsportsmanlike conduct violation, but there was no default forthcoming despite Coria’s pleas.
Brooksby ended up winning 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, after which calls for a default only grew louder on social media.
So, should Brooksby have been defaulted?
discuss
Just had a look at the incident and the racquet hit the ball boy, so yes he should’ve been disqualified. Double standards applying here.
How do these guys get to the Pro level? I suspect lessons in self-control have to begin in the earlier years. I once read that Bjorn Borg, known as IceBorg for his discipline on court, had his racket taken away by his parents for three months at the age of 14 because of his temper.
Andy Roddick put out a video on how to lose it without losing it and threatening/hurting someone else. 1) Smash your racket straight down – never throw it. 2) Hit a ball in anger on an upward trajectory, never straight!
Yes, default anyone who engages in threatening behavior. And require them to complete an anger management course before returning to the tour.
He should have been disqualified no questions asked!! And him even winning goes to show that there is really no need to behave this way bcoz once U settle ureself and focus u can still pull off the win!!! It’s outrageous that ppl behave like this in the sport. Is that how ppl get on when something does not go well at work? I shudder to think!!
So with this wave of anger mismanagement in tennis, ball boys and girls and referees r now working in a hazardous environment?! I hope they are then adequately compensated!!! Sigh!!
That’s y I will always look up to my Rafa!!! He has always been a disciplined player on the court. There r times I can c good reason for Rafa to loose it on court but he doesn’t!! Very admirable how he is able to control his emotions like that especially given an environment where losing self control is seen as “cool”!!! The tennis authorities need to review the policy on such behavior ASAP before someone gets seriously or even fatally injured!!
This is getting out of hand. Any idiot on the court can recklessly throw his racket and potentially hurt someone.
Borg was kicked out of a Swedish tennis academy for his bad behavior when he was young. He learned his lesson. He kept it inside after that. Iceborg!
Someone is going to get hurt. It’s only a matter of time. He definitely should have been defaulted. There is no excuse for this behavior.