What is the most cringeworthy moment you've seen in professional tennis?

TimHenmanATG

TimHenmanATG

Hall of Fame
I was thinking about this after getting secondhand embarrassment watching the footage of Benoit Paire's antics the other day.

There's also the infamous ''this is my f***ing court'' proclamation, from one-time Grand Slam Quarter-Finalist, Alexander Zverev.

Going back further, Roger Federer's tetchy outburst (replete with a faux-American accent) at the umpire during the 2009 US Open is notorious for hitting 9.4 on the cringe scale.

What incidents have you witnessed in professional tennis which have made you cringe with embarrassment?
 
Paulreedsmith

Paulreedsmith

Semi-Pro
Djokovic vs. Chung AO18. Djokovic starting to grunt loudly in the middle of the point out of nowhere, and then missing an easy forehand.
All the Nadal fistpumping. Sometimes he does it with both hands. Vs. Cilic AO18 comes to mind.
Dimitrov always trying sooo hard to be "the good guy".
Djokovic licking his lips and blowing kisses during several matches W18.
 
Rubens

Rubens

Hall of Fame
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Bike Man

New User
Yeah, the Pete/Andre thing was super awkward. However, the one that turned my stomach (and turned me from a Serena fan to absolutely despising her) was her outburst at the US Open when playing Clijsters. Her melt-down and truly ugly attack on the linesman (lineswomen) was despicable and, for me, unforgivable. I have since refused to watch any of her matches.
 
Mustard

Mustard

Bionic Poster
The funniest was Jeff Tarango walking off court in a huff at 1995 Wimbledon during his match against Alexander Mronz after getting a couple of code violations, and soon after telling the crowd to "shut up". Even funnier was Tarango's wife, Benedict, then coming onto the court to slap umpire Bruno Rebeuh across the face. It was very embarrassing in some ways, but how I laughed.
 
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captainbryce

Hall of Fame
Bike Man said:
Yeah, the Pete/Andre thing was super awkward. However, the one that turned my stomach (and turned me from a Serena fan to absolutely despising her) was her outburst at the US Open when playing Clijsters. Her melt-down and truly ugly attack on the linesman (lineswomen) was despicable and, for me, unforgivable. I have since refused to watch any of her matches.
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I love people like you.
 
C

captainbryce

Hall of Fame
Anything involving CHEATING, or an attempt to cheat. Justine Henin putting her hand up at the French Open and not admitting to it. Fernando Gonzalez not admitting that he hit the ball twice at the Olympics. Tomas Berdych not admitting that his ball was a double bounce in Madrid. Stuff like that I can't stand more than anything else, because it speaks to the true character of the players sportsmanship.
 
jaggy

jaggy

Talk Tennis Guru
captainbryce said:
Anything involving CHEATING, or an attempt to cheat. Justine Henin putting her hand up at the French Open and not admitting to it. Fernando Gonzalez not admitting that he hit the ball twice at the Olympics. Tomas Berdych not admitting that his ball was a double bounce in Madrid. Stuff like that I can't stand more than anything else, because it speaks to the true character of the players sportsmanship.
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Joe reaching over the net to volley against murygoat
 
Mustard

Mustard

Bionic Poster
captainbryce said:
Anything involving CHEATING, or an attempt to cheat. Justine Henin putting her hand up at the French Open and not admitting to it. Fernando Gonzalez not admitting that he hit the ball twice at the Olympics. Tomas Berdych not admitting that his ball was a double bounce in Madrid. Stuff like that I can't stand more than anything else, because it speaks to the true character of the players sportsmanship.
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It's not the players' job to enforce the rules. It's the job of the umpire and officials to enforce the rules.
 
Benben245

Benben245

Banned
Kyrgios to Wawrinka, Seles stabbing, Djokovic touching the net at French and benneteau rolled ankle at wimby very intense moments as far as tennis goes
 
The Green Mile

The Green Mile

Bionic Poster
I can't relate to the tipping comment at all, so I never really did understand the publicity it got. Being a bad tipper, is it really that bad?

Look at some of these comments in the match thread.

Agassi should be ashamed. Totally classless. WTF Andre?

First crystal meth and now this..
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I didn't think Agassi would bring this up in a charity match... Losing a bit of respect for the guy.
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wow I lost total respect for Andre....
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Standaa

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
The Green Mile said:
I can't relate to the tipping comment at all, so I never really did understand the publicity it got. Being a bad tipper, is it really that bad?
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I heard that tipping in America is very weird and that they actually take it pretty seriously. If you don’t tip there for services, you’re rude.
 
R

reaper

Legend
MichaelNadal said:
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This is the context which is always omitted in the "If I could, I would shove this ball down your throat and kill you" controversy. Williams thought she had been cheated out of the match against Capriati in a previous year and thought the foot fault call was a recurrence of that theme. She was very restrained in her reactions to the calls in the Capriati match.
 
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Nashvegas

Guest
reaper said:
It's bad over there...because they barely pay their staff. So if the customer doesn't tip, the employee goes without.
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And since people give good service for a good tip, and people do tip, well... it isn’t so “bad” after all. :)
 
BeatlesFan

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
StANDAA said:
I heard that tipping in America is very weird and that they actually take it pretty seriously. If you don’t tip there for services, you’re rude.
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You're right. In America, good service deserves a 15% tip, or even 20%. To not tip a server (if they provide good service), is considered incredibly gauche. It may be weird to you, but not to Americans with good manners.
 
TheFifthSet

TheFifthSet

Legend
StANDAA said:
I heard that tipping in America is very weird and that they actually take it pretty seriously. If you don’t tip there for services, you’re rude.
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Indeed. Some servers aren’t shy about voicing their displeasure over bad tips.

I tip well, but that’s hugely influenced by how ingrained the etiquette is + how crappy server wages tend to be. Just seen as bad form not to.
 
TheFifthSet

TheFifthSet

Legend
The Green Mile said:
Wow, wtf lol.... I didn't realize they were so underpaid though....
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Just a few months back, one of the regulars at a bar I go to got hassled for leaving 67 for a $62.00 tab..he is normally a very generous tipper but didn’t do the mental math on his tab and that was all he had. The server ended up getting fired over it (he was within his probationary period), but the fact that he even had the moxie to bring it up in the first place speaks volumes about how different things are in the West with regards to tipping.
 
H

helterskelter

G.O.A.T.
BeatlesFan said:
You're right. In America, good service deserves a 15% tip, or even 20%. To not tip a server (if they provide good service), is considered incredibly gauche. It may be weird to you, but not to Americans with good manners.
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Not just gauche, but cruel, because it means them working for free and would mean them going without necessary basics if repeated. Even if the service is poor, I will always tip unless the server is actively rude. It might not be their fault that the food is slow, and they shouldn't be blamed for the cook being slow or the manager not having enough servers, etc. YMMV of course.

Brits tip too. Only about 10-12.5% but servers in the UK are at least somewhat dependent on tips. Even in France and Italy, people normally round up the bill and so tip a little.

I'd prefer it if servers were paid properly and nobody tipped. But we don't live in a just world.
 
R

reaper

Legend
Nashvegas said:
And since people give good service for a good tip, and people do tip, well... it isn’t so “bad” after all. :)
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Lol...the way misinterpretations can happen where multiple posts are quoted. I do think being reliant on tips is bad, but nowhere did I express that in my post. As a matter of interest what do you do in a restaurant where the service is good, but the food is poor? If you don't tip the waiter misses out...when it's not their fault.
 
Zoolander

Zoolander

Hall of Fame
Lots of good stuff here, but I have to say Rogers celebrations when he wins his slams make some cringe every time.

For God’s sake raise both arms and scream at the sky or something...... please don’t half slump onto your butt and put your hands to your face crying like mummy took your toys away.

THATS cringeworthyness at its best

BeatlesFan said:
but not to Americans with good manners.
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An American with good manners?? Where? Where?! :eek:

helterskelter said:
I'd prefer it if servers were paid properly and nobody tipped. But we don't live in a just world.
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In Australia waiters get paid properly and nobody tips....... if we can do it, surely the rest of the world can? Not that hard.

Nothing more pathetic than having the richest nations in the world and they refuse to pay their lowest paid workers properly, so they rely on tips.
 
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