Shanghai: Fernando Verdasco’s treatment of a ball boy who failed to bring him his sweaty towel fast enough has thrust tennis players’ attitudes towards the child volunteers into the spotlight, and could prompt changes.
The 34-year-old Spaniard has not commented on the incident, when he aggressively gesticulated at a ball boy to hurry up during last month’s Shenzhen Open in China. The footage went viral on social media and saw Verdasco heavily criticised.
Judy Murray, the former British Fed Cup captain and mother of three-time Grand Slam winner Andy, tweeted: “What about a rule that makes players get their own towels?” Others, while condemning Verdasco’s behaviour, pointed out that he is by no means the first tennis player to treat a ball kid harshly.
“I don’t care how good a tennis player you are but this type of behaviour needs to STOP,” tweeted Anne Keothavong, Britain’s Fed Cup captain.
At this week’s Shanghai Masters, Roger Federer also said tennis sets the standard for many sports when it comes to respectful behaviour and that must extend to the treatment of ball boys and girls. However the 37-year-old 20-time Grand Slam champion pointed out that emotions run high in the heat of a match and that tennis is more intense now than in the past.
The Verdasco incident in particular highlighted the issue of ball kids being asked to handle sweaty and snotty towels for players, many of whom like to wipe their faces after each point.
Commenting on this, Federer also said that players are under pressure not to hold games, up so it is quicker for the ball boy to hand them the towel rather than fetch it themselves.
One solution is a towel rack at the back of the court. That will be tested out at next month’s Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, which brings together the best players aged 21 and under.
World No.1 Rafa Nadal has spoken out, saying that he is not a fan because it will slow matches down. Kei Nishikori, Japan’s World No.12, agrees. “Maybe I don’t prefer that one. Maybe that may take some time,” he said.
Federer, who said players often use their towel wipe-down to gather their thoughts between points, is happy to see the racks given a go, but has his reservations.
- In 2015 Novak Djokovic apologised to a Wimbledon ball girl after screaming in her direction, leaving her looking shaken
- Last week at the China Open, Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka was caught in footage shaking an empty bottle in the apparent direction of a ball boy, before tossing it on the floor