Any good sportsmanship you have seen in tennis?

T

TENNIS_99

Semi-Pro
So much talk about sportmanship lately, Nadal's long delay in serving, Federer's rant about Hawk eyes, Sordelng, Lujubic.....

Have you ever seen a good example of good sportmanship in pro tennis?

I was watching a final of a Chanllenger played in Bermuda earlier this year. A talent Argentinean player Mariano Zabaleta is recieving serve for a match point - a match this player desperately needs to play the big show. I forgot the exact situation but Mariano Zabaleta reversed a call favors him for the match point just like the match point is any other point. No hesitation, no check the mark, I don't know him but I can tell this guy is sport. And I bet he is a happier man than the top guys that sometime the competition is so fierce that the their nature is somehow distorted.

You got any other ones?
 
when people play good points and one player claps their racquet to say good point or good shot. federer has done it before
 
TENNIS_99 said:
So much talk about sportmanship lately, Nadal's long delay in serving, Federer's rant about Hawk eyes, Sordelng, Lujubic.....

Have you ever seen a good example of good sportmanship in pro tennis?

I was watching a final of a Chanllenger played in Bermuda earlier this year. A talent Argentinean player Mariano Zabaleta is recieving serve for a match point - a match this player desperately needs to play the big show. I forgot the exact situation but Mariano Zabaleta reversed a call favors him for the match point just like the match point is any other point. No hesitation, no check the mark, I don't know him but I can tell this guy is sport. And I bet he is a happier man than the top guys that sometime the competition is so fierce that the their nature is somehow distorted.

You got any other ones?
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yes. Nadal's butt picking.
 
I don't know if this is good sportsmanship, but I've heard a lot of players say "too good" when an opponent hits a winner or just an unbelievable shot. It's at least acknowledging the other player's good play.
 
Ooh, I just remembered...Sabatini voting to freeze Seles's #1 ranking after she was stabbed. She was the only WTA player to do so I think. No way in hell Graf would do something like that. ("That" being caring for someone who got stabbed by YOUR fan).
 
Some years ago, some players, when they felt, they got an injury, that would make it impossible to go on in the tournament, but still could continue in the actual match, played until match point up, and then defaulted. Tom Gorman did so in the sf in the 1972 Masters, giving Stan Smith the chance to go to the final against Nastase. I thought about it, when Haas beat Tursunov at Wim, only to withdraw from the Federer match. He would have given Tursunov an intersting match. But to Haas' legitimation: Probably his injury turned worse after the match.
 
urban said:
Some years ago, some players, when they felt, they got an injury, that would make it impossible to go on in the tournament, but still could continue in the actual match, played until match point up, and then defaulted. Tom Gorman did so in the sf in the 1972 Masters, giving Stan Smith the chance to go to the final against Nastase. I thought about it, when Haas beat Tursunov at Wim, only to withdraw from the Federer match. He would have given Tursunov an intersting match. But to Haas' legitimation: Probably his injury turned worse after the match.
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Very interesting.

emcee said:
Ooh, I just remembered...Sabatini voting to freeze Seles's #1 ranking after she was stabbed. She was the only WTA player to do so I think. No way in hell Graf would do something like that. ("That" being caring for someone who got stabbed by YOUR fan).
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as well, coincident? those two good stories are way in the past... I guess sportmanship is not at top of the list for today's players to consider.
 
Many years ago at the US Open a bad call was made and Connors tried to have the chair reverse the score. When he refused, Connors went back to return serve and hit the return into the stands to give his opponent the point back. Everyone knew Connors did it on purpose and they gave him a big round of applause.
 
Verdasco was serving, match point down, against Roddick.
Faults the 1st serve, and hits a risky 2nd to the T, which was called out. Double fault, game, set, match Roddick. Roddick calls it good, and the call was overruled. 2nd serve ace

Verdasco finally won that match after saving that MP.
 
I also remember Ana Ivanovic, reversing a few line calls in favor of her opponent in her Semi-Final match at the French Open against Sharapova and also in the Finals against Henin.
 
Lets for forget the Hewitt vs Nadal match at RG. Nadal had a service ace when he was serving for the match. It was called out at first, but Hewitt corrected the call by telling the umpire. Nadal put his hand up to show his aprreciation. It was a brilliant moment to witness, and although Hewitt can be a ***** he's still a good natured person in the inside.
 
Eviscerator said:
Many years ago at the US Open a bad call was made and Connors tried to have the chair reverse the score. When he refused, Connors went back to return serve and hit the return into the stands to give his opponent the point back. Everyone knew Connors did it on purpose and they gave him a big round of applause.
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Was a great gesture by Connors, to be sure. But he done enough ranting and raving causing delays etc. with bad sportsmanship in other matches, that that was rather a drop in the bucket. But then, at least he did that, can't say I believe many would do that today.
 
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I have seen Nalbandian overturn incorrect calls that favour him several times, sometimes even on match point.He gets annoyed when others won't do the same though, like when henman wouldn't use hawkeye to make a challenge for him.He might be an ahole both on and off the court but he is scrupulously fair.
 
Many years ago at the US Open a bad call was made and Connors tried to have the chair reverse the score. When he refused, Connors went back to return serve and hit the return into the stands to give his opponent the point back.
Click to expand...

This was also sort of common in the 70s(officiating was quite poor, they didn't have travelling officials like they do now) I've seen Mac do this when Borg got a bad call in a match they played at the Masters.

I have seen Nalbandian overturn incorrect calls that favour him several times, sometimes even on match point.He gets annoyed when others won't do the same
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I don't think its a good idea for players to do that, because you never know when they do it & when you should do it, its too complicated. Don Budge talked about how annoying it was when Tilden did that because he then started implying that close calls on your side of the net were in when they were called out, & made you look like a fool to the crowd, even when you felt it was the right call. Budge believed players should always just play the calls.

The most famous instance of sportsmanship I can recall was when Wilander was awarded the match vs Clerc in the Semis of the '82 French Open after a really long rally. Wilander insisted they replay the point, & then won the match a 2nd time. Pretty amazing considering he was 17 & in the semis of a major for the first time vs a veteran, it could have backfired on him.

here is what Magnus Norman did, which is even more crazy:

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Sebastien Grosjean paid tribute to fourth seed Magnus Norman on Monday after the Swedish fourth seed ignored a let call on match point to allow the Frenchman to go into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Grosjean, the 16th seed, sent down what appeared to be an ace on his third match point against Norman.

But as he celebrated and Norman walked towards the net to shake hands, chair umpire Mike Morrisey strode on to court to inform the players that the ball had clipped the top of the net.

It should have given Norman a reprieve, and forced Grosjean to take his first serve again, but the world number four rejected the opportunity and insisted the match was over -- handing Grosjean a 7-6, 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 victory.

He shook Grosjean's hand to let the 22-year-old Frenchman know he could enjoy his achievement of reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

Grosjean said: "The net machine was on but Magnus told me that he had not heard any noise. I did not hear anything either.

"He told the umpire and then said 'the match is over'.

"That has never happened to me, certainly not on match point.

"I don't know why he did it -- but Magnus is a nice guy. He is a competitive player but he is very fair.

"It was a very good thing to do. I'm not sure if I would do the same in future."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2001/australian_open/news/2001/01/22/norman_recap/
 
I have seen two cases of good sportsmanship way back at the aussie open. Federer was facing Youhzny and one of Youhzny's shots was called out and he lost the point. Federer thought youhzny's shot was in and challenged the call. In the end, federer was right and youhzny had another chance to play that point.

Another case was with Verdasco and I think it was Mathieu, Massu, or Mahut. Anyway, Verdasco was his opponent, but Mathieu/Massu/etc... got hurt and was sent to the hospital. Verdasco felt really bad and went with him to the hospital until it was confirmed that he was alright.
 
TENNIS_99 said:
So much talk about sportmanship lately, Nadal's long delay in serving, Federer's rant about Hawk eyes, Sordelng, Lujubic.....

Have you ever seen a good example of good sportmanship in pro tennis?

I was watching a final of a Chanllenger played in Bermuda earlier this year. A talent Argentinean player Mariano Zabaleta is recieving serve for a match point - a match this player desperately needs to play the big show. I forgot the exact situation but Mariano Zabaleta reversed a call favors him for the match point just like the match point is any other point. No hesitation, no check the mark, I don't know him but I can tell this guy is sport. And I bet he is a happier man than the top guys that sometime the competition is so fierce that the their nature is somehow distorted.

You got any other ones?
Click to expand...


Yeah I saw it aswell. At the time I was saying to myself wow nopt many players would do that on such an important point.


Did you watch it in person, here in Bermuda? Or on TV?
 
With all these guys showing good sportsmanship, don't ever forget Patrick Rafter as a superb sport, someone for whom the game of tennis came first and the players second. If anyone matches up to my signature below, this great Aussie does. Particular moments? I can't recall any, but that's the overall feeling I have about him.
 
I remember an Australian Open match in 1999, where Steffi Graf's opponent sprained her ankle. It took long for the trainer to get there, Steffi got some ice and stayed with the player, nursed until the trainer came.
 
Warriorroger said:
I remember an Australian Open match in 1999, where Steffi Graf's opponent sprained her ankle. It took long for the trainer to get there, Steffi got some ice and stayed with the player, nursed until the trainer came.
Click to expand...

That reminds me of the finals between Pete ans Andre at the Miami Masters where Pete was sick and Andre did not take the default. Instead he gave Pete time to get a few IV's and treatment before the match started. The paid crowd of which I was a part worried that Pete would not make it even with the extra time.
Pete recovered and they played with Pete beating him. Afterwards Andre got on the PA and said it was the right thing to do, and that if he could not beat Pete who was under the weather, he had not deserved to win. His graciousness and class really made me start to see him in a different light that day.
 
Andres Guazzelli said:
Verdasco was serving, match point down, against Roddick.
Faults the 1st serve, and hits a risky 2nd to the T, which was called out. Double fault, game, set, match Roddick. Roddick calls it good, and the call was overruled. 2nd serve ace

Verdasco finally won that match after saving that MP.
Click to expand...

i remember that
roddick actually being a man for once
 
Let's not forget Mac was only a good sport against Borg...probably the only player he really respected and liked.
 
latinking said:
Yeah I saw it aswell. At the time I was saying to myself wow nopt many players would do that on such an important point.


Did you watch it in person, here in Bermuda? Or on TV?
Click to expand...

eh,no. I wish I was in Bermuda :o , I was watching it on TV instead.:sad:

The thing amazed me was that it was a relatively smaller tournament compared to the big show where you have 10's of thousand of eyes on you. But it's an important one for Mariano Zabaleta. He still reacts so spontaneously. That just tells what a sportman he is.

It's also a surprise to see so many responses. As one poster mentioned people don't usually remember good sport but remember bad sport.
 
RoddickAce said:
IAnother case was with Verdasco and I think it was Mathieu, Massu, or Mahut. Anyway, Verdasco was his opponent, but Mathieu/Massu/etc... got hurt and was sent to the hospital. Verdasco felt really bad and went with him to the hospital until it was confirmed that he was alright.
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It was Paul-Henri Mathieu, and he was actually a few points away from winning the match! He was up two sets and the third set tiebreak just began when he injured himself. This event really stayed in my mind too, really demonstrates what a great person Verdasco is to be concerned for his opponent's wellbeing like that.
 
Andres Guazzelli said:
Verdasco was serving, match point down, against Roddick.
Faults the 1st serve, and hits a risky 2nd to the T, which was called out. Double fault, game, set, match Roddick. Roddick calls it good, and the call was overruled. 2nd serve ace

Verdasco finally won that match after saving that MP.
Click to expand...

I know this story would be brought up. In fact I used to see Andy as someone maybe a jerk sometimes but always with integrity and professionalism on court. But after I saw him playing last year's early(or the first) round at the US Open that he showed no repects to the lower ranking player, it just turned me around.
 
Alexandros said:
Anything and everything Kim Clijsters does. Never seen her act like a bad sport.
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How about when she refused to play in the Olympics because the U.S. Olympic team wanted her to wear the official Olympic team uniform, and Clijsters refused because her clothing sponsor was not the company who made the official uniform.
That was definitely petty and low class.

Eviscerator said:
Many years ago at the US Open a bad call was made and Connors tried to have the chair reverse the score. When he refused, Connors went back to return serve and hit the return into the stands to give his opponent the point back. Everyone knew Connors did it on purpose and they gave him a big round of applause.
Click to expand...
It is very likely, given his reputation, that Connors did that not to be nice, or fair, but instead to manipulate the crowd and get them on his side.
That's how Connors thought.
 
Baghdatis ran to the net to make sure Djokovic was OK at Wimbledon. He's always pleasant while playing a match whether he's losing or winning, just an all-round good sport. He wins my sportsmanship medal.
 
Yeah, Ana Ivanovic was the example of sportsmanship (sportspersonship?) this spring I think at Roland Garros and at Wimbledon where she overturned a few close calls in favor of her opponents.

OK, I'm in love!
 
The sportsmanship of Nadal, Djokovic, Baghdatis lately come to mind - evidenced by their warm embraces after their encounters at Wimbledon.

I hesitate to bring the name of Roddick into their arena, but I have often been impressed by his occasional clapping of his racquet on his palm after an opponent's good point (though, in my eyes, his obscene rudeness towards umpires negates any good points he may otherwise have).

Good sportsmanship is not only about learning to win - it's about learning how to lose, and acknowledging the good in opponents...
 
cant remember exactly...but well it was a courier vs.pete match and petes coach had a brain tumor so pete was under the weather....pete starts to cry,crowd urges him on courier does the same,i cried too...then pete serves like three straight aces while crying...i dont know about good sportsmanship,just reminds me that players are human too.
 
It's hard to pinpoint specific examples, but here are a few I remember:

- I was at the quarterfinal match at last year's US Open watching Blake v. Federer and one of the moments I remember was when Blake fell down right before a changeover and before sitting down Fed walked over and made sure Blake was ok.

- I completely forget which match this was, but it probably wasn't the only time this happened either -- anyway, what happened was the ball was called out on Fed's side and Fed overruled it saying it was in. I thought that was an honest thing to do.

- Haas v. Gonzales, I forget when it was. Haas served to Gonzo and it was called out rather quietly, and I think Gonzo thought that Haas believed it was a let and not out, so he called over and made sure that Haas knew that so he didn't go for another risky first serve. I think what made this seem really cool was the fact that the two were really going at it and it was an intesnse match and I wasn't expecting that.
 
Djokovic gestured to the crowd to clap for Patience after their match at the FO this year. he always credits his opponents after a match.

when serena was injured at wombledon her opponent actually crossed the net to see how she was doing.
 
gugarafa said:
cant remember exactly...but well it was a courier vs.pete match and petes coach had a brain tumor so pete was under the weather....pete starts to cry,crowd urges him on courier does the same,i cried too...then pete serves like three straight aces while crying...i dont know about good sportsmanship,just reminds me that players are human too.
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I read about this incident in Pete's book. As per Pete's version Courier said something like "We can always come back tomorrow and finish the match". That does not sound encouraging.

There is a youtube video of Fed correcting the score in Wawrinka's favor at Basel. Umpire had called the score wrong and Fed corrected him.

-Josh
 
tennis4josh said:
I read about this incident in Pete's book. As per Pete's version Courier said something like "We can always come back tomorrow and finish the match". That does not sound encouraging.

There is a youtube video of Fed correcting the score in Wawrinka's favor at Basel. Umpire had called the score wrong and Fed corrected him.

-Josh
Click to expand...
Here is the video of what you are referring to:
http://youtu.be/jzxWkvso5UY
 
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