Sunday 23 January 2022

Australian Open Tennis

If you aren't tuned into 🇨🇦Shapovalov vs 🇩🇪Zverev on TSN1, now's the time 👀#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/gGlK1fk4un
— TSN Tennis (@TSNTennis) January 23, 2022

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TSN has the international broadcast feed from commentators for the Shapovalov/Zverev Australian Open: Josh Eagle, Colin Fleming, one of whom seemed quite thrilled with Zverev's temper tantrum: smashing his racquet on the court.

"The racquet is gone from Zverev in a big way. And there is definitely an upset brewing now.
Look at the aggression in that racquet break. Ya gotta give him a 10/10 for that, 'cause that is right up there with one of the best I've ever seen. He goes at it again. So good.  Maybe that's just what you need, that release of anxiety.  
Maybe he put a hole in the court. Some running repairs here. 

You would never encourage a young player or any player to break a racquet, but that's what Zverev needed. That doesn't worry me, and it wouldn't disappoint me if as a coach I saw that happen. He needs some inspiration from somewhere." 


He earned a code violation from the chair umpire. The fines can be $25,000. @TSNTennis exploits the drama.

It's not the first time he has done this, either. Zverev and Osaka both did it in 2019: 

Smashing racquets has become all the rage at Australian Open

 This time, and in 2019, Zverev went on to lose the game, so it didn't do him any good. Thousands of dollars in a fine. While everyone is angry and upset with COVID–19, this German is priviledged. He is 24 years old, gross earnings top $30 million USD.

Many of us are stressed, anxious, and are in horrible situations. People are losing work, housing, going to food banks, and this 20-something has his behaviour lauded by these announcers.

We're watching tennis to escape the news; the anger, the antivaxxers, the Russia/Ukraine conflict, horrific weather events, and this really is disturbing.

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I posted the comments on Twitter, and @bjwshepherd sent me to an article on Slate.com, in which they write about the abuse Zverev has been accued of by his ex-girlfriend in the year they were dating:

Every Day, I Was Crying” Olga Sharypova says her ex-boyfriend, tennis star Alexander Zverev, abused her. Why hasn’t the tour addressed it? 
– BY BEN ROTHENBERG, AUG. 25, 2021 8:12 PM

"She said that Zverev’s controlling and possessive behavior had first turned physically violent months earlier, but in New York that violence reached a new level. Sharypova said she ran out of their hotel room at the Lotte New York Palace and fled, barefoot, to the street. “This time, I really was scared for my life,” she told me."

7 comments:

Tom said...

...I'm busy arranging my sock drawer!

Nancy J said...

I didn't see that as I don't get it live here, but the Australian Open has been an event like none before. First Novak, then top seeds going out so early, now a racquet violation. Guess those racquets are SO much more expensive than the old wooden frame one I had way back in the 1950's, a wooden frame with wing nuts to keep the frame straight and correct from one weekend to the next. And if you can do that to a piece of equipment, what would you do to your partner????? About 280 Euro or more,according to Google, so about NZ$ 500 , nowhere near what I had thought.The finals will be so exciting, keep watching.

William Kendall said...

When I think of tennis at that level, and especially among the male players, it's tantrums and petulant behaviour. If the sport had any appeal, that kind of nonsense would end it.

Lowcarb team member said...

I haven't been following the tennis ...

But I did see the good news that Dave Ryding wins Britain's first gold in alpine skiing World Cup.
Well done Dave
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/60097540

All the best Jan

Bindu said...

I am not watching tennis. But, what you described is very annoying.

Anvilcloud said...

We will get TSN for the British open (I mean Wimbledon) and the U.S. Open, but not for the Australian open and it’s odd hours to us. But I am following the results, and I am quite pleased with both Felix and Dennis.

Jeanie said...

I didn't even know this had started -- the only thing I heard about it was about the guy who couldn't play. Something Novak? Novak Something? But then, not a lot of people like to watch the Tour de France either, and I am glued then! Enjoy!