Blimey remind me never to get on the wrong side of these two,and coming from someone with a rotten temper anyway thats saying something,i remember once i was so mad about something,i kept on opening and slamming our back door untill the glass pain smashed to smithareens.

October 15th, 2012 at 7:01 am

Great example to the kids Novak and Andy with your racket smashing display. Look at the venom on Novak’s face whilst smashing his racket. The ATP should increase whatever penalty they have going for this type of behaviour. Let us just hope they don’t hurt anybody whilst having these tantrums.

October 15th, 2012 at 7:20 am

alison – don’t forget that these are purely their on-court personas, their fierce competitor selves with adrenaline pumping. They’re both pussycats off the court. Actually, of the big 4 only Nadal has never smashed a racquet.

October 15th, 2012 at 7:22 am

Ahem..Fed smashed a racquet 2009 Miami v. Nole.
There are a lot worse things, and I mean a lot worse.

October 15th, 2012 at 7:38 am

Raquet both are pussycats off the courts lol,and thank goodness for that,Rafas never smashed a tennis raquet,i dont know but i will take your word for it,unless anyone else knows different.

October 15th, 2012 at 7:41 am

Margot they all do it,its no big deal,Baggy did 5 one day.

October 15th, 2012 at 7:42 am

RAFA HAS NEVER EVER SMASHED A RACKET – FACT! Tony has said the day Rafa smashes a racket he will stop coaching him!

October 15th, 2012 at 8:10 am

Giles fair enough.

October 15th, 2012 at 8:19 am

But Giles, they all have to find ways of dealing with stress, tension, frustration and anger on court.
The fact that you find Rafa’s idiosyncrasities more acceptable than Andy and Nole’s, is surely just a matter of personal preference?
Andy used to smash himself. I can assure you that I find his smashing of racquets a lot more pleasant to watch.
BTW it’s about directing anger outwards, not inwards.

October 15th, 2012 at 11:00 am

@margot

Agreed. I’ve never been bothered by racquet smashes. In fact Gonzo and Safin’s were some of the best ever. Zvonereva did a spectacular smash at Charlotte one year. Better out than in. IMO, it’s far worse to disrespect officials or your opponent.

October 15th, 2012 at 11:17 am

“RAFA HAS NEVER EVER SMASHED A RACKET – FACT! Tony has said the day Rafa smashes a racket he will stop coaching him!”

Awesome. Now can you tell Unc Toni to work on the “other” bad personal habits or else?

October 15th, 2012 at 11:19 am

I am all for racket smashes, give us some fire! However, the “Nalby” incident was very wrong. Harm your racket, yourself, but don’t endanger another.

That said, Tennis has always been a “Gentlemens sport”, and manners is a part of the game. I guess Johnny Mac, Nasty Nastase and Connors changed all that.

October 15th, 2012 at 11:25 am

skeeze, that was a very different level of fireworks then wasn’t it? Verrry explosive. Makes today’s players look like sweet innocents.
Apparently Connors once spat at Mac’s camp!
Imagine if that happened now….eek!

October 15th, 2012 at 11:45 am

skeezer. Unfortunately I do not have any direct with uncle Toni Rafa’s personal habits are just that – “habits” which have become part of his personna. At least he is not venting venom and outrage on court. Do you smash racquets and benches?

October 15th, 2012 at 11:55 am

@skeezer, yes tennis is a gentleman’s sport, and it was originated by the Brits who are supposed to be the best in manners, but that’s debatable. Tennis was played a lot differently from what I’m told by my dad in the old days and connor, Nastase are an exception rather than the rule.

Tennis has now changed and is more a gladiator sport..

October 15th, 2012 at 11:57 am

I like this, i find it amusing and enjoy the fire- HOWEVER there are kids who want to play tennis and don’t have racquets, so maybe fines should go to that.

October 15th, 2012 at 12:10 pm

where is teh debat on Ferrer and Errani making use of the same docter Lance Armstrong had?

Lance is getting murdered for this and they are just going along? Tennis playuers are mentioned in USADA report about Armstrong???

But tennis journaille is just covering livescores of the matches on hand.

October 15th, 2012 at 12:12 pm

Nastase was “nasty”!

October 15th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

One of the best recquet smashing we ever seen in tennis! I like it!

October 19th, 2012 at 3:51 am

A lot more worse things to do in sport than smashing rackets, like what RF did in WTF by sitting in the chair that was Novak’s, that was really bad sportsmanship… So get over the racquet smash thing. They are humans and there is no intention to harm anybody by smashing your racquet.

December 19th, 2012 at 8:16 am