The ATP Tour has warned elite tennis stars over the increasing frequency of incidents regarding on-court behaviour, including recent high-profile cases involving Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Zverev. ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has sent a circular to the Tour’s players over regular ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’ at the start of the 2022 season.
Last week, Kyrgios was fined £26,700 ($35,000) for verbal assaults on umpire Carlos Bernardes during his straight-sets defeat against Jannik Sinner in the Miami Open round of 16. Meanwhile, Zverev was disqualified from February’s Mexican Open after violently hitting the umpire’s chair with his racquet.
Gaudenzi has expressed his disgust with recent behaviour and has threatened stricter enforcement of rules ahead of the remainder of the campaign. This month, the 2022 season enters the clay season, with the Monte-Carlo Masters and French Open on the horizon.
In his warning to Kyrgios, Zverev and others, the ATP Tour chairman ordered a review of the Code of Conduct and stressed that the ‘dangerous moments’ must be prevented. It read: “The first three months of the season have seen an unusual frequency of high-profile incidents involving unsportsmanlike conduct.
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“This includes serious cases of verbal and racquet abuse. We have seen too many dangerous moments, with officials or ball persons caught in the crossfire of aggressive or disrespectful conduct. These incidents shine a bad light on our sport. This conduct affects everyone and sends the wrong message to our fans, especially young fans.
“Effective immediately, and as we had into the clay court swing, the ATP officiating team has been directed to take a stricter stance in judging violations of the Code of Conduct. Additionally, we are also undertaking a review of the Code, as well as the disciplinary processes, to ensure that it provides appropriate and up-to-date penalties for repeat offenders. We all have a role to play to uphold the reputation and integrity of our sport.”
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