Exclusive: Casper Ruud calls for end to 'reckless behaviour' on ATP Tour after Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Zverev incidents
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Updated 19/04/2022 at 14:18 GMT
There have been calls for stricter punishments on the ATP Tour after Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev both escaped bans for incidents. Kyrgios smashed a racquet on the floor and it nearly hit a ball boy while Zverev attacked an umpire's chair with his racquet. World No. 7 Casper Ruud thinks more needs to be done before a "big accident" happens.
'It needs to stop' - Ruud calls for halt of angry outbursts by players
Casper Ruud has called for a stop to “reckless behaviour” on the ATP Tour after angry incidents this year involving Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev.
Kyrgios has also been fined for angry outbursts in Indian Wells and the Miami Open, and American Jenson Brooksby hit a ball boy with a racquet he flung in anger in Miami.
However, world No. 7 Ruud is in favour of the move.
“I think it needs to stop. This has been two three cases now in within a month. So it's reckless behaviour in a way,” he told the Ruud Talk vodcast.
“It's not something I wish to see, but at the same time, it kind of brings attention to the sport just in a negative way. I think the punishment is tough to say what is fair and what is not that they do get big fines, but for some of these players doesn't seem like it matters. So it's tough to say what we can do about it.“
“I mean, majority of players, they don't do these things, but the way it's looking, it can look like a big, big accident or incident can occur at any time. So let's see, I mean, I think they have been getting some fines and some meetings probably with the board and the guys in the ATP who are deciding in the end.”
Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has described the lack of punishment handed down to Zverev as "outrageous" and said he should have been banned rather than just getting a fine.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander has also called for change.
Wilander says players breaking racquets on court is especially upsetting for him to see as it sets a bad example.
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“In tennis you learn how to behave properly, you learn how to call things out that are close and call them in, you make your own calls, you call the score out.
“It's just a game where you learn a lot about life and educate and rules and these guys are taking it to a complete different level.
“And I do know from Lleyton Hewitt telling me that every kid in Australia basically, is doing what Nick Kyrgios does. I'm not saying they're throwing rackets and whatever, but they hit the ball like Nick Kyrgios and that's kind of bad enough in a way because Nick is so talented, but he doesn't use his feet at all in any of his shots. He just slaps it with his arm. And they look up to these guys. So I think it's atrocious.
“I actually think it's horrible. I think breaking a racquet on a tennis court is the lowest for me because most kids, they cannot afford to buy tennis racquets.
“I think it's wrong. I think it's completely wrong. That's why I asked: I think Zverev needs to be not on probation, he needs to be taken off the tour for a month, two months, maybe it's the first Grand Slam, maybe it's the first ATP Masters 1000 but something that hurts him rather than just be able to not do the same thing again and then I'm fine. It doesn't make sense. Life doesn't work like that.”
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