Ugliest moment of tennis

beltsman

G.O.A.T.

What was Agassi thinking here? What is wrong with him? Even if what he says is true, why bring it up? Why bring it up at a charity event?

I thought Pete handled it well by staying classy although you could tell he was fuming. Was Agassi back on the drugs during this? I feel bad for Bull and Roger having to witness this. Everyone was uncomfortable.

Does anyone else have more story to this?
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
Could have been worse.

He could’ve said that Kokkinakis banged his girlfriend.

I think this is actually worse because Andre did it at a charity event and he did it to Pete's face. Kyrgios was obviously out of line, and it was a horrible thing to say, but he seemed to say it to nobody(?) and not directly in eye contact with Stan.

Regardless of what is worse, what was Agassi thinking? Did meth melt his brain that badly? Did Pete own him that badly?
 

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
I think this is actually worse because Andre did it at a charity event and he did it to Pete's face. Kyrgios was obviously out of line, and it was a horrible thing to say, but he seemed to say it to nobody(?) and not directly in eye contact with Stan.

Regardless of what is worse, what was Agassi thinking? Did meth melt his brain that badly? Did Pete own him that badly?

I think Agassi was just trying to be funny in an effort to entertain the crowd at a charity event and went overboard. Everyone was mocking each other and Sampras has imitated him right before that so I think he was trying to come up with a good comeback and failed.

Nick’s comment wasn’t even meant to be funny, it was just downright mean and completely undeserved, probably to get attention and create unnecessary controversy, Stan’s really nice guy. And it doesn’t matter if he didn’t hear him in that specific moment, it’s not like Stan wasn’t gonna find out about it afterwards, Nick said it when the cameras were on him.
 

TheFifthSet

Legend
They both dig into one another. It’s just that Pete can’t take a joke.

Calling a man a lousy tipper (an unsubstantiated claim originating with an anonymous bus boy) is a lot different from the light-hearted banter they would normally engage in. For the record, Pete and Andre would frequently do physical impersonations of one another whenever they would play exhos. Andre would do the hangdog look and imitate Pete’s service motion, Sampras would do the pigeon-toed walk. It was never an issue and Agassi never took offence to it.

Andre simply broke with the routine (cheesy as it may have been) and got personal.
 

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
What's wrong with Andre Agassi ?

That's what I'm trying to figure out!
I think Agassi was just trying to be funny in an effort to entertain the crowd at a charity event and went overboard. Everyone was mocking each other and Sampras has imitated him right before that so I think he was trying to come up with a good comeback and failed.

Nick’s comment wasn’t even meant to be funny, it was just downright mean and completely undeserved, probably to get attention and create unnecessary controversy, Stan’s really nice guy. And it doesn’t matter if he didn’t hear him in that specific moment, it’s not like Stan wasn’t gonna find out about it afterwards, Nick said it when the cameras were on him.

Pete was doing a tennis impersonation. Everyone does those. Andre took it to a whole new level.
 

Azure

G.O.A.T.
Hingis being booed by the french crowd against Steffi, the crowd that was racially biased against Williams in IW are examples of crowds targeting an individual which are extremely harrowing for a player. Agassi- Sampras was one-one, it was only a charity match. I am not justifying but there have been worse scenarios.
 
Agassi definitely had insecurities because of losing to Sampras so often. There was a palpable tension between them which was covered up only by Federer and Agassi's banter. That tension just rose to its peak when Pete mocked Agassi. You could see it in Andre's strained smile that it touched the nerve, and he snapped. Wanted badly to embarrass Sampras, but surely looking back on this he'd feel more embarrassed himself.
 
D

Deleted member 756182

Guest
What was Andre referring to with Sampras? Debts? Dine and Dash?
 

GreenClay

Rookie
Still think this is the ugliest moment in tennis:
Thanks for posting. Oh, yes. Serena...America’s sweetheart. Made McEnroe look like an innocent schoolboy. But the tv commentators and tennis journalists can’t seem to remember this moment in tennis history.
 

Bukowski

Professional
Jeez that was cringeworthy. I think this was one of Andres biggest reintroductions back into the game post retirement and specifically post book which had generated a lot of attention and media craze. I think also being mic’d up puts a lot of pressure of the players to be funny or something. But yeah, now I see how Andre had a terrrible attitude in the 80s and was disliked. Seems like he really likes the spotlight.
 

reaper

Legend
The real problem is that they're not funny. If Agassi finishes his "joke" at the point where he turns his pockets out to impersonate Sampras, it's fair enough. He labours it by then "explaining" the joke 3 times in case we didn't get it which turns it personal.
 

Bukowski

Professional
Easily the worst, nothing comes close.

I’m not sure. That was in the heat of the moment. McEnroe and Connors said so much worse for example. Even Nastase. It’s more understandable. I think the Agassi thing is so bad because they are out of competition and their to provide entertainment. Instead no part of what he ever said was funny, it was a personal insult in front of a silent stadium. And he just keeps going even though it’s so obviously awkward. Like he didn’t care, just kept talking crap to Pete because that was important to him in the moment even though it had been all light hearted up to that point.
 

r2473

G.O.A.T.

What was Agassi thinking here? What is wrong with him? Even if what he says is true, why bring it up? Why bring it up at a charity event?

I thought Pete handled it well by staying classy although you could tell he was fuming. Was Agassi back on the drugs during this? I feel bad for Bull and Roger having to witness this. Everyone was uncomfortable.

Does anyone else have more story to this?
That’s why most of this stuff is scripted. To avoid awkward silence and things like this
 

Purplemonster

Hall of Fame
I’m not sure. That was in the heat of the moment. McEnroe and Connors said so much worse for example. Even Nastase. It’s more understandable. I think the Agassi thing is so bad because they are out of competition and their to provide entertainment. Instead no part of what he ever said was funny, it was a personal insult in front of a silent stadium. And he just keeps going even though it’s so obviously awkward. Like he didn’t care, just kept talking crap to Pete because that was important to him in the moment even though it had been all light hearted up to that point.

Threatening to shove a ball down an official's throat is terrible, downright violent. Can't recall McEnroe, Connors and Nastase ever physically threatening an opponent or official, please correct me of I am wrong.
 
Threatening to shove a ball down an official's throat is terrible, downright violent. Can't recall McEnroe, Connors and Nastase ever physically threatening an opponent or official, please correct me of I am wrong.

This is absurd. McEnroe got thrown out of the Australian Open for intimidating a lines woman, abusing his racket and cursing out the umpire which was 3 code violations in one match. Serena had one type of incident 10 years ago once in her career. McEnroe had this type of incident at least 15 times in his career and fined multiple times. There is no comparison. It's real obvious why you posters on here criticize Serena so harshly. I don't like Serena, and never have, but it's clear when there is something sinister that crosses a line.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
So another thread talking about one incident that brings up Serena and drags her through the mud. These digs are so transparent and racially motivated that it's blatantly obvious. So Serena at 19 years old made up getting booed by 10,000 people for 2 hours in her home country, all while it was recorded on video? They should rename this site KKK warehouse because it is infested with racists. Absolutely disgusting.

The reason why she got booed at IW that time wasn't because of her skin colour (which she and the Williams clan liked to spin afterwards) but because of the suspicion that her sister Venus had faked an injury to avoid meeting her in the semi-final (Venus had pulled out of their match with a supposed foot injury just a few minutes earlier giving Serena a walkover to the final). There was a widespread suspicion at that time that Daddy Richard fixed their match outcomes and when Venus walked into the stadium with the rest of the family apparently without any difficulty she and her family started drawing boos from the crowd who had paid and had been looking forward to an all Williams semi-final.

http://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/columns/story?columnist=drucker_joel&id=3952939
 

Purplemonster

Hall of Fame
So another thread talking about one incident that brings up Serena and drags her through the mud. These digs are so transparent and racially motivated that it's blatantly obvious. So Serena at 19 years old made up getting booed by 10,000 people for 2 hours in her home country, all while it was recorded on video? They should rename this site KKK warehouse because it is infested with racists. Absolutely disgusting.

Racism has nothing to do with it. McEnroe still cops heaps of flack to this very day. If he was playing these days he would be receiving heavy criticism on these boards and on social media as well.

Why is that the likes of Malivai Washington, Sloane Stephens and Monfils never get criticised like Serena Williams does ??

The same people that criticise Taylor Townsend will also criticise David Nalbandian for carrying excess weight.

Sloane Stephens has had problems with Serena
Williams. By your logic if Sloane was white that would automatically make her racist.

Serena is not liked because of her appalling behaviour.
 
Last edited:
The reason why she got booed at IW that time wasn't because of her skin colour (which she and the Williams clan liked to spin afterwards) but because of the suspicion that her sister Venus had faked an injury to avoid meeting her in the semi-final (Venus had pulled out of their match with a supposed foot injury just a few minutes earlier giving Serena a walkover to the final). There was a widespread suspicion at that time that Daddy Richard fixed their match outcomes and when Venus walked into the stadium with the rest of the family apparently without any difficulty she and her family started drawing boos from the crowd who had paid and had been looking forward to an all Williams semi-final.

http://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/columns/story?columnist=drucker_joel&id=3952939

I know what happened because I bought the match and watched it. It was definitely not only because they thought the match was fixed because that is not normal behavior for someone who is playing at their home country. Serena was a 19 year old at that time and it definitely was racially motivated. I have friends in the United States who have told me how it is there and yes I believe Serena.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
I know what happened because I bought the match and watched it. It was definitely not only because they thought the match was fixed because that is not normal behavior for someone who is playing at their home country. Serena was a 19 year old at that time and it definitely was racially motivated. I have friends in the United States who have told me how it is there and yes I believe Serena.

So you think she and Venus would have got booed if they had played anyway?
 

True Fanerer

G.O.A.T.
I know what happened because I bought the match and watched it. It was definitely not only because they thought the match was fixed because that is not normal behavior for someone who is playing at their home country. Serena was a 19 year old at that time and it definitely was racially motivated. I have friends in the United States who have told me how it is there and yes I believe Serena.
If it was racially motivated then why the hell did everyone want to see a Williams/Williams final? Cmon!
 
Racism has nothing to do with it. McEnroe still cops heaps of flack to this very day. If he was playing these days he would be receiving heavy criticism on these boards and on social media as well.

Why is that the likes of Malivai Washington, Sloane Stephens and Monfils never get criticised like Serena Williams does ??

The same people that criticise Taylor Townsend will also criticise David Nalbandian for carrying excess weight.

Sloane Stephens has had problems with Serena
Williams. By your logic if Sloane was white that would automatically make her racist.

Serena is not likes because of her appalling behaviour.

I'm not an idiot and see what some of you posters say on this site. It is definitely because she is black and very successful. Look at the comments in this thread and take off your tinted glasses min vän. That incident was one time many years ago but you can't stop bringing it up when I have seen much much worse. Her crip walk was stupid but nothing really but you keep bringing it up. I see clearly and so does anyone with common sense.
 
Last edited:

reaper

Legend
What Williams said is not clear on the audio, but my recollection is that she said "If I could I would shove this ball down your throat and kill you." That's simply not a death threat. It's implied in the statement that she can't, and is not going to shove the ball down her throat and kill her. It's a volcanic rage, but not a death threat. A couple of years earlier at the USO Williams was subject to two of the worst overrules from the chair at the same tournament in important moments of a match, thought she'd been cheated out of it and exploded because she thought the same thing was happening again. She doesn't overall have a volatile history with match officials. If she did people wouldn't have to go back 9 years to find indiscretions like this one.

http://www.openthemagazine.com/shorts/smallworld/no-serena-to-torment-us-open-lineswoman
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
That is not the point. Let me ask you a question? Have you watched that match? If you have, were you not very very disturbed and uneasy watching that? There is something very wrong with what happened there.

I did watch the incident on YouTube some time ago but also read about it several times. There was a widespread suspicion back then that Richard fixed matches for his daughters (in that link I posted, even players like Dementieva said she suspected it) and Venus pulling out of her semi-final with Serena just minutes earlier with a foot injury and then walking down a long flight of steps to her seat for the final without any difficulty just seemed to confirm the suspicions. That's what started the booing. Of course Richard then immediately started spinning that it was because "we are black" to divert attention from the match-fixing suspicion that neither he nor his daughters could give a convincing answer to (at least according to the link I posted). Even Charlie Pasarell, the tournament director, opined that he thought Venus could have given it a try after he watched her walk to her seat.

Did any other black players ever attract racial abuse at Indian Wells?
 
I did watch the incident on YouTube some time ago but also read about it several times. There was a widespread suspicion back then that Richard fixed matches for his daughters (in that link I posted, even players like Dementieva said she suspected it) and Venus pulling out of her semi-final with Serena just minutes earlier with a foot injury and then walking down a long flight of steps to her seat for the final without any difficulty just seemed to confirm the suspicions. That's what started the booing. Of course Richard then immediately started spinning that it was because "we are black" to divert attention from the match-fixing suspicion that neither he nor his daughters could give a convincing answer to (at least according to the link I posted). Even Charlie Pasarell, the tournament director, opined that he thought Venus could have given it a try after he watched her walk to her seat.

Did any other black players ever attract racial abuse at Indian Wells?

If you watched it on Youtube and not the entire match then you don't have a full knowledge of just how disturbing it is. I suggest you watch the entire thing and then form your opinion on it. So because Venus could walk that means she was faking it and should have played? Tendinitis does not mean you cannot walk but it does mean you are not fit enough for sport. I totally believe Serena and fully see why she didn't return back to that tournament for many years because that was very disturbing and unnecessary, and can't believe people would treat their own in such a terrible way.
 

Poisoned Slice

Bionic Poster
A joke like that might have been appreciated at a Pete Sampras roast or something. Maybe.

I did watch the incident on YouTube some time ago but also read about it several times. There was a widespread suspicion back then that Richard fixed matches for his daughters (in that link I posted, even players like Dementieva said she suspected it) and Venus pulling out of her semi-final with Serena just minutes earlier with a foot injury and then walking down a long flight of steps to her seat for the final without any difficulty just seemed to confirm the suspicions. That's what started the booing. Of course Richard then immediately started spinning that it was because "we are black" to divert attention from the match-fixing suspicion that neither he nor his daughters could give a convincing answer to (at least according to the link I posted). Even Charlie Pasarell, the tournament director, opined that he thought Venus could have given it a try after he watched her walk to her seat.

Did any other black players ever attract racial abuse at Indian Wells?

''Pure scripted wrestling.''
 
I did watch the incident on YouTube some time ago but also read about it several times. There was a widespread suspicion back then that Richard fixed matches for his daughters (in that link I posted, even players like Dementieva said she suspected it) and Venus pulling out of her semi-final with Serena just minutes earlier with a foot injury and then walking down a long flight of steps to her seat for the final without any difficulty just seemed to confirm the suspicions. That's what started the booing. Of course Richard then immediately started spinning that it was because "we are black" to divert attention from the match-fixing suspicion that neither he nor his daughters could give a convincing answer to (at least according to the link I posted). Even Charlie Pasarell, the tournament director, opined that he thought Venus could have given it a try after he watched her walk to her seat.

Did any other black players ever attract racial abuse at Indian Wells?

To add, it wasn't match fixing that caused the controversy. It was because people were already in the stadium when the match was cancelled and they couldn't get refunds. Venus had pulled out of the match hours before with injury but the greedy tournament director tried to keep pressuring her to play when she couldn't, and never cancelled the match. Then the Williams were left with the heat. It was tournament director, not the Williams.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
If you watched it on Youtube and not the entire match then you don't have a full knowledge of just how disturbing it is. I suggest you watch the entire thing and then form your opinion on it. So because Venus could walk that means she was faking it and should have played? Tendinitis does not mean you cannot walk but it does mean you are not fit enough for sport. I totally believe Serena and fully see why she didn't return back to that tournament for many years because that was very disturbing and unnecessary, and can't believe people would treat their own in such a terrible way.

I'm not saying I condone the crowd's behaviour because, after all, I agree it was not Serena's fault if Venus and her dad had agreed to throw their semi-final. I'm just arguing that there may have been other reasons for it than merely racial. If the crowd were just out and out racist they would have been booing Serena and Venus whenever they played, wouldn't they? But I fully agree that, one way or another, it was not an experience Serena should have had to undergo.
 
I'm not saying I condone the crowd's behaviour because, after all, I agree it was not Serena's fault if Venus and her dad had agreed to throw their semi-final. I'm just arguing that there may have been other reasons for it than merely racial. If the crowd were just out and out racist they would have been booing Serena and Venus whenever they played, wouldn't they? But I fully agree that, one way or another, it was not an experience Serena should have had to undergo.

You haven't watched it so you cannot form a clear opinion on it. Until you actually see it, you can only speculate.
 

True Fanerer

G.O.A.T.
What Williams said is not clear on the audio, but my recollection is that she said "If I could I would shove this ball down your throat and kill you." That's simply not a death threat. It's implied in the statement that she can't, and is not going to shove the ball down her throat and kill her. It's a volcanic rage, but not a death threat. A couple of years earlier at the USO Williams was subject to two of the worst overrules from the chair at the same tournament in important moments of a match, thought she'd been cheated out of it and exploded because she thought the same thing was happening again. She doesn't overall have a volatile history with match officials. If she did people wouldn't have to go back 9 years to find indiscretions like this one.

http://www.openthemagazine.com/shorts/smallworld/no-serena-to-torment-us-open-lineswoman
She had run-in with the same umpire during her match with Stosur at the UO. Told the ump that she despised her.
 

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
I'm not saying I condone the crowd's behaviour because, after all, I agree it was not Serena's fault if Venus and her dad had agreed to throw their semi-final. I'm just arguing that there may have been other reasons for it than merely racial. If the crowd were just out and out racist they would have been booing Serena and Venus whenever they played, wouldn't they? But I fully agree that, one way or another, it was not an experience Serena should have had to undergo.

Kyrgios and Tomic and other brats who don’t have a bit of respect for the sport or its spectators deserve that. Not Serena. Especially if everything has been a mere speculation, nothing more. Which is not the case of young tanking male players.
 

reaper

Legend
I'm not saying I condone the crowd's behaviour because, after all, I agree it was not Serena's fault if Venus and her dad had agreed to throw their semi-final. I'm just arguing that there may have been other reasons for it than merely racial. If the crowd were just out and out racist they would have been booing Serena and Venus whenever they played, wouldn't they? But I fully agree that, one way or another, it was not an experience Serena should have had to undergo.

It's not really the case that a racist crowd would necessarily boo black players wherever they play. They might be quite supportive of demur black players who appear to "know their place," but hostile towards black players who are aggressive or outspoken. Racism doesn't always require a universal hatred based on colour/race.
 

hoodjem

G.O.A.T.
What was Agassi thinking here? What is wrong with him? Even if what he says is true, why bring it up? Why bring it up at a charity event?

I thought Pete handled it well by staying classy although you could tell he was fuming. Was Agassi back on the drugs during this? I feel bad for Bull and Roger having to witness this. Everyone was uncomfortable.

Does anyone else have more story to this?
Envy. Bitterness. Resentment.

It appears that Agassi was not thinking. It was an irrational, emotional knee-jerk response. André is still carrying around a lot and it is eating him up inside. So sad.

(I wonder if Nadal or Federer was thinking: I hope we never get that resentful.)
 
Last edited:
O

OhYes

Guest
Seles stabbing was something beyond ugly.

Talking about Serena threats, but anyone remembers Johny Mac threats to lineswoman ?

 

heninfan99

Talk Tennis Guru

What was Agassi thinking here? What is wrong with him? Even if what he says is true, why bring it up? Why bring it up at a charity event?

I thought Pete handled it well by staying classy although you could tell he was fuming. Was Agassi back on the drugs during this? I feel bad for Bull and Roger having to witness this. Everyone was uncomfortable.

Does anyone else have more story to this?
Agree. That was ugly and though Pete might not tip great when he gives to charity he doesn't make a big deal of it while Agassi has press releases about it.
 
200.gif
 

captainbryce

Hall of Fame
Kyrgios was obviously out of line, and it was a horrible thing to say, but he seemed to say it to nobody(?) and not directly in eye contact with Stan.
You win...That is officially the LAMEST excuse I’ve ever heard in defense of Kyrgios’s behavior!

Not only is what he said incredibly offensive and much more offensive than Agassi’s comment, but Kyrgios said it to Stan, in spite, during the heat of battle, to be an a—hole!

Agassi already explained his motivation for his comment. It was a joke that went bad. He regretted it and apologized for it. Kyrgios has never displayed that kind of humility before.
 
Last edited:

Man of steel

Hall of Fame
:rolleyes:

I take it you've never been to LA or anywhere there is gang activity. Everyone there knows what it is. She's from south central and talked about the dance.
Doesn't mean a person is promoting gang violence or paying homage to the crips. People halfway around the world do the dance yet have no idea it originates from the crips.You regularly see professional dancers do it.

And since when are dance moves limited to different groups or different ethnicities. If that was the case then people all around the world should stop doing dance moves.

The logic of some people is astounding
 
Last edited:

reaper

Legend
Doesn't mean a person is promoting gang violence or paying homage to the crips. People halfway around the world do the dance yet have no idea it originates from the crips.You regularly see professional dancers do it.

Didn't you know that English fans at the World Cup singing Rule Brittania were calling for the reintroduction of British imperial rule and advocating the atrocities of their colonial era?
 
Top