Huber: "Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal correct but boring"

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During these months there have been several unpleasant, unsportsmanlike episodes, which have undoubtedly tainted the image of tennis. The latest in chronological order is that of Michael Kouame, seeded number 1 in the ITF junior tournament in Accra, Ghana, who at the end of his defeat slapped his opponent Raphael Nii Ankrah.

Going up to the ATP level, the images of Alexander Zverev who repeatedly hit the seat judge's post in the doubles match in Acapulco are still alive in the memory of all, receiving immediate disqualification from the tournament.

Or again, the heated diatribe undertaken by Nick Kyrgios against Carlos Bernardes in the match against Jannik Sinner in Miami. Also from the Masters 1000 in Florida came the bad gesture of Jenson Brooksby, guilty of having almost hit a ball boy with his racket during his match against Federico Coria.

All events that have sparked quite a few controversies, to which the ATP has decided to respond with facts and has promised a change of register to punish unsportsmanlike gestures from now on. On the issue, former German tennis player Anke Huber sided with those who occasionally make noise, while specifying that there is an imaginary red line that cannot be crossed by anyone.

Huber: "Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal correct but boring"

In an interview for Eurosport Germany, former player Anke Huber, world number 4 and a finalist at the Australian Open in 1996, told her about the unsportsmanlike episodes recently staged on the Tour.

"With John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, it was pretty normal to blame the referee. Later we had this phase with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have always behaved in a sporty and very correct way. But if everyone looks straight ahead without making a sound, it gets boring.

I don't think emotions are negative, but they shouldn't become silly and should be kept within a certain limit. If it becomes too much, however, the boys should not be dismantled immediately.

For Alexander Zverev in Acapulco, it was extreme, yes. Nobody liked it. But to me that's not his real face. The day before he had played until five in the morning. Sometimes you have to look at the circumstances, because he was certainly physically flat, which is no excuse."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/oajPWwe

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