I've often wondered why there hasn't been a old fashioned fight at a professional tennis match, at least one that we've seen. This incident during a WTT match between New York and Washington is as close as I've ever seen and no surprise, McEnroe is involved.

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=...ovFW&ref=mf

Looks like it was all just for show.

Watching the women getting involved was somewhat entertaining, too.

What's really funny is how McEnroe always says how the "body shot" is valid when going at the net player, just like the serve into the body is a smart tactical shot, and if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen, etc...when commenting on matches... well, he may want to heed his own words.

Remember Hantuyama (or is it Sugiyova? ) and the Williams sisters have had some shots blasted at each other in a doubles match this year? But I doubt any WTA players would ever approach Venus and Serena in that fashion...unless, say, Kleybanova and Stosur teamed up. Nah, even those tough chicks wouldn't be that brave.

& The All England Lawn Tennis Club shudders @ the thought.



Yep!

No, what's really funny is what a spoiled brat Leander Paes is. He goes after Kendricks, then doesn't offer an apology. Fine, whatever, it's not required. But at the French open final, he was hit while at the net, complained like a baby to anyone and everyone (even after the obligatory "raising of the hand" apology), then finally purposely tried to hit the other player (much like kendrick went after him).

Who can't take the heat?

Then Paes and McEnroe are BOTH whiney little bitches. How they can play doubles as long as both of them have and not expect to get a few shots pasted at them is beyond ridiculous, it's just John McEnroe is the one who openly criticizes players who bitch about it not being able to "suck it up" all the time when calling matches.

Paes hit Kendrick with a big roundhouse volley and didn't react in any way whatsoever - I'd at least expect the guy to raise his hand (the 'obligatory apology') or ask if I was okay. Also, let's not forget that this is WORLD TEAM TENNIS and not the finals of Wimbledon. The WTT matches I've been to were fun and jovial and were about the FANS, competition be damned. There aren't any ranking points on the line, if there's money involved it's probably not much. And seriously, does anyone believe (and does Paes honestly believe) that the fans are there to see Paes win a doubles match? Come on. Fans show up to WTT to see the MacEnroes and Kournikovas and Grafs and Agassis and Roddicks having fun and hitting a few great shots. There is no place for a roundhouse volley to the gut in WTT. Billie should ban Paes from participating. I didn't like Paes much before I saw that clip, and now I hope the next time I see him, it's a clip of him taking a roundhouse forehand to the nuts.

Having said all of that, I generally like the shot right at your opponent (and I like it even better when the opponent is able to fend it off with a great volley). The first time I remember seeing someone get hit was when Lendl smacked Mac in the chest with a huge forehand at the WCT event in Dallas (see clip below). Mac and Lendl already didn't like each other, hell, no one liked Lendl. It was an awesome shot, and I love the look Mac gave Lendl afterward. I don't remember anything else about that match, but I've never forgotten that shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xAPwx3z950

And regarding the old-fashioned fist fight, does Guy Forget's wife smacking the umpire count?

While it might be "tenntertainment," there's still going to have to be tennis thrown in there, somewhere. What will be next? Someone like Agassi or Roddick cranking up a (relatively) big serve around 135 mph and making their opponent look silly for not being able to return it...and then people will complain about that, too?

Sure Paes should have held up his hand in apology (that's the thing to do even on the ATP, disingenuous as it may be, but etiquette all the same), and then maybe made the attempt at the familiar 5 minute stand up comedy routine between points with the players across the net that you see so often at WTT matches...you know, what many of those players woefully mistake for witty banter...to diffuse an obviously uncomfortable moment he created. But he didn't. He just went on what he sees as business as usual. He's been playing tennis all his life, and isn't the most outgoing and fun-loving guy. So maybe he shouldn't be part of the WTT equation because of that lack of charismatic showmanship, but to say he shouldn't be part of it because he hit a good and valid tennis shot would be defeating a major attraction of the whole thing...the tennis. Maybe someone can take him aside and explain how to hold his hand up after such a shot, and show him the fine art of smiling and/or laughing, but we could have oodles of "celebrity tennis" with all kinds of hollywood-type casual tennis players, if we wanted just the show without the tennis.





I remember that! Great shot. Lendl never cared if anyone liked him, obviously, but that was a great shot.




Was that Jeff Tarango's wife you're talking about? When he walked off the court at Wimbledon after hollering at the chair, and calling him "the most corrupt chair umpire in the game"...and then his wife slapped the guy? Or was that another umpire beating?

It was Tarango. The bald heads confused me! Not that I have anything against bald guys. Guy Forget. Wolf! Tarango, not so much. Here's a pic of Tarango taking it to a poor defenseless racquet. http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99nov10/0908a.gif

I hear ya, Tennis Guy, but tennis is just part of the attraction at WTT. I bet the matches Agassi plays this year will draw more fans than any of the other matches. And it's not because of the tennis - people want to see Agassi. The fans at the last WTT match I went to (many, many years ago) were mostly kids, families, etc. Yes, the 'witty banter' is Painful with a capital P, but the little kids were laughing and having a good time. And the atmosphere is so completely uncompetitive (although I think this year there is more at stake - a wildcard into the Open for the winning doubles team or something like that but Paes isn't going to need a wildcard and if Mac asked for one he'd certainly get it). Still, that was a big ol' roundhouse volley on a sitter right at the guy 15 feet away. I feel it was poor sportsmanship from the getgo and completely classless of Paes not to acknowledge that he smacked the guy. At least ask if he's ok or hold up your hand or something. Now Mac serving at Paes - that was inexcusable. I like Mac, but what a jerk. Although, I guess it was all pretty entertaining...

LOL, Jeff Tarango was like the Tonya Harding of the ATP, except with even less talent. He couldn't make it big with his game, so he resorted to the Jerry Springer style of punk-ass behavior to get attention. Seriously, walking off the court at Wimbledon because you didn't like line calls? I'm glad they suspended and fined him.



Yeah, Mac looked like a hypocrite for doing that, but I've never expected much class from him to begin with.

It'll be interesting to see if Paes continues the behavior and if the other teams will now be "gunning" for him because of it. Kournikova pasting him with one of her errant "yippy" serves would make for damn good "tenntertainment." (right after she does the same to Gimelstob, of course!)

I'm so over Mac and his acting out. I try to watch some of his matches in the Seniors Tour and his behavior is so borish that I wind up turning the channel. I haven't seen this situation with WTT, but it sounds like more of the same ole, same ole.

It's funny, I really enjoy McEnroe as a commentator, but I can't stand to watch him play tennis. lol