Courting Courtesy

In the cut-throat world of professional sport, controversies, scandals and players bending the rules have lost their shock value.

Sometimes they are fined, sometimes they are not, and determining what is allowable often falls to a referee's judgment.

Antics are nothing new either. The bad-boy triumvirate of Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase took aggressive behaviour to unprecedented heights in the 1970s and 1980s with their actions, linesmen-berating behaviour and colourful displays of emotion.

Most accept that trying to get into an opponent's head is part of the game. Stalling tactics, tying shoelaces, calling a trainer, changing tempo, shouting "C'mon,'' leaving the court to go to the bathroom, are common strategies. We look at a few of the bad calls both on and off the court over the years.

Gambling it Away

Most damaging of all for tennis have been the stories emerging of players being offered bribes to throw matches. Nikolay Davydenko, the fourth-best tennis player on the planet, has achieved true sporting fame through an ATP investigation. The association are looking into his defeat against an Argentine journeyman in Poland in August, 2007, after which Betfair, an online bookmakers, took the unprecedented step of voiding more than £3 million (Dh21.89 million) in wagers.

Davydenko, who denies any wrongdoing, has been a marked man since. Meanwhile, American Paul Goldstein is one of at least 10 male players who admitted he was contacted about influencing matches.

Spit Spat

Andre Agassi spat on Australian umpire Wayne McKewan's shoes and trousers in the 1990 US Open, resulting in a Dh1,836 fine.

In 2005, Juan Ignacio Chela spat at Lleyton Hewitt during his third-round loss in the Australian Open. The Argentine's unsportsmanlike conduct was met with a $2,000 (Dh7,345) fine the next day.

Even Lleyton Hewitt's in-your-face fist pumps, aggressive salutes and incessant screams of "C'mon'' have grated on many opponents. Marat Safin, who once pulled down his shorts after a spectacular drop shot in the French Open (not fined), was fined $1,000 (Dh3,672) for smashing his racket.

Siberian Siren

Players say that psych-out devices such as bouncing the ball excessively before serving, loud grunting and illegal coaching from the sidelines are a growing problem.

For instance, players complained about Maria Sharapova's loud grunting. Dubbed as the "Siberian Siren'', she has since toned it down. The Siberian-born Russian was also issued warnings for sideline coaching from her father, Yuri, in the WTA Championships.

Fallen Idols

The news that Martina Hingis tested positive for cocaine during in Wimbledon Championships 2007 was yet another PR hit for the sport. Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam champion and former Wimbledon winner, denied ever taking drugs and said the accusations against her were "horrendous and monstrous''.

During the 2005 Australian Open, Russian player Svetlana Kuznetsova tested positive for a banned substance during an exhibition match in Belgium. The substance found in Kuznetsova's urine sample was ephedrine, a stimulant that is a common ingredient in cold medication. Kuznetsova refuted that charge and said,"There is absolutely no reason why I would take a stimulant to enhance my performance at an out-of-competition exhibition match in the middle of the off season.''

Petr Korda, the Czech who won the Australian Open men's singles title in 1998, also tested positive for nandrolone. Korda was eventually banned for one year from the sport and then retired. But fortunately for Jennifer Capriati, drugs weren't the end. In a comeback that lasted years, she finally proved that she could beat the world's best when she won the 2001 Australian and French Opens.

In 2004, Greg Rusedski of Britain played and lost his opening match at Australian Open after announcing that he had tested positive for the steroid nandrolone. Rusedski was later cleared.

Superbrat

John McEnroe's antics and cries of "you cannot be serious'' are legendary. McEnroe, who scooped 17 Grand Slams, was famous for slamming his racket, arguing with empires, swearing on the tennis court and intimidating opponents. When he was just 20, he was nicknamed "Superbrat'' by the British tabloids in 1979.

Though other players before him, most notably Jimmy Connors and Ilie Nastase ranted, raved and berated umpires, McEnroe took outrageous behaviour to a whole new level. Not a long ago infuriated with a line call at a Seniors tournament in Chicago, McEnroe hurled a bottle of water into the stands and hit a 10-year-old boy on the head. McEnroe's outbursts cost him dearly during his career but he has made up for any financial loss with a spate of advertisements that cashed-in on his fiery temper.


Clown prince of tennis

Frank Kovacs (1919-1990) was an American tennis player who was known as the "Clown Prince of Tennis'' for his on-court antics. He was still a good enough player to be one of the best five in the world from 1940 to 1951. Probably the most eccentric major player ever, stories of his antics are still told in the tennis world. Once, serving for a match point, he tossed three balls in the air — hitting the middle one for an ace. He was known to jump into the stands to applaud his opponents, and once staged a sit-down strike during a match. He often stopped play so that he could complain about the heavy nap on the balls, and would then shove the offending balls into his mouth so that he could chew on the nap.

Sizzling Sania

Sania Mirza created further controversy when she announced her decision to pull out of the $600,000 (Dh2,203,560) Bangalore Open because every time she plays in India "there is a problem''. It would seem the tennis star has become too controversy-friendly for her own good.

The last time it happened was when Mirza was in Perth. And her crime? She had her exposed feet near the Indian flag (see the picture above), which prompted a lawyer a continent away in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh to file a case against her for "disrespecting'' the Indian tricolour.

Before this episode, Mirza had attracted the wrath of hardliners for wearing what women tennis players all over the world wear on court , a skirt, and aired her views on pre-marital sex. She was also forced to apologise for shooting a commercial in the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad.

Weight and Watch

Some off-court debates are too silly for words, but fascinating nonetheless. It all started when in 2003, Martina Navratilova, nine times Wimbledon champion, said Daniela Hantuchova had a "ridiculous'' figure for a sportswoman.

Tracey Austin, former teenage tennis sensation and now a BBC commentator, joined in and advised the waif-like Slovakian player to add "at least another 10lbs''. And when photographs of Hantuchova practising in a cropped top and shorts revealed that her ribs were sticking out and that her legs were far thinner than previously, Virginia Wade, the 1977 Wimbledon champion, said Hantuchova must "bulk up'' or risk damaging her health.

But "the Babe from Bratislava'', who was voted second sexiest women's tennis player, after Anna Kournikova, in Ace magazine's poll, was unfazed by the row. She said: "I don't take much notice of what people say about my weight. I'm just lucky that I can eat what I want and not put on weight.''

Serving up misconduct

John McEnroe was booted from the 1990 Australian Open for foul language, becoming the first player to be shown the exit from a major in the Open era.

Romania's Irina Spirlea, who chest-bumped Venus Williams in the 1997 US Open, was defaulted and fined a record Dh73,452 for abusing an umpire in Palermo, Italy.

US player Earl Cochell was banned for life after verbally abusing a referee in the US Open in 1951, an unprecedented penalty.

In the French Open semi finals in 2003, Justine Henin-Hardenne motioned she was unprepared to receive Serena Williams's serve. Williams hit a fault and should have been given another first serve. The umpire didn't see it, however, and Henin-Hardenne played dumb.

Romania's Ilie Nastase was disqualified in a match against McEnroe in the 1979 US Open for repeatedly arguing a point penalty. Fans booed, chanted and threw rubbish on the court in protest.

Four-time Grand Slam tournament champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain was infamous for taking momentum-stalling bathroom breaks.

Timeline

DUBAI DUTY FREE MEN'S OPEN

January 31, 1994

Ivan Lendl (left) made his first appearance at the Dubai Open. Lendl's temperament went right for the former world number one as he devastated Germany's Carsten Arriens 6-1, 6-2. Last year's runner-up Fabrice Santoro goes down to Russian Andrei Cherkasov in three sets. Australian youngster Patrick Rafter beat Morocco's Youness El Aynaoui by 6-3, 2-6, 6-3

February 1, 1994

Top seeded Sergei Bruguera launched his bid for title the hard way, with an uncertain three sets victory over the tenacious Italian Claudio Pescosolido. Magnus Gustaffson was slow to get into the groove against countryman Magnus Larsson, winning 7-6, 6-3. Defending champion Karel Novacek walked on court and strolled off 65 minutes later, having dispensed with the lukewarm challenge of Marcus Ondruska in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

February 2, 1994

Thomas Muster's captivating Dubai Open odyssey came to a shocking end when the second seeded Austrian succumbed to Henrik Holm. Ivan Lendl had earlier overcome Russian Andrei Cherkasov 6-4, 6-2, with another even more unpopular display of the "new'' Lendl temperament. Magnus Gustafsson ensured the pattern of winning remained unchanged with a three set victory over Patrick Rafter and he became the fourth quarterfinalist, with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 63.

February 3, 1994

Karel Novacek, the defending champion, attested to both points, after yielding to Germany's new wunderkind Marc Goellner. Goellner won the pre-quarterfinal clash 7-5, 6-3. Sergi Bruguera took the long route past Todd Woodbridge 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-1, while sixth seed Wayne Ferreira lived through a second set tiebreak before accounting Mark Woodforde 6-2, 7-5. Petr Korda provided the contrast with a resounding 6-1, 6-2 win over qualifier Lars Johnsson.

February 4, 1994

Wayne Ferreira put the brakes on third seed Petr Korda as Alexander Volkov and Sergi Bruguera stormed into semifinals. Wayne Ferreira, a former World No. 12 from South Africa and seeded sixth, sent out third seed Petr Korda at 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. The former world champion Ivan Lendl hobbled out of the quarterfinals conceding to Swede Magnus. Lendl trailed 6-4, 2-6, 1-3 when he decided to call off the punishment.

February 5, 1994

Magnus Gustafsson and Sergi Bruguera recorded efficient victories over Wayne Ferreira and Alexander Volkov respectively, the semifinals almost setting records for the quickest finishes. Fourth seed Gustafsson set the standard with a 56-minute 6-2 6-2 demolition of Volkov before top seed Bruguera quickly eclipsed that achievement, steamrollering Ferreira, the eighth seed 6-2, 6-1.

FEBRUARY 6, 1994

Sweden's Magnus Gustafsson turned on a desert storm to win the $1 million (Dh3.67 million) ATP event from Spain's Sergi Bruguera (right) 6-4, 6-2. "I have worked hard to play better and better and then I meet somebody who plays even better than that'' said Bruguera. Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Tennis Federation and Director of Information, Government of Dubai, presented the trophy and prize money to the winners.