I don’t understand what your values are: Bartoli on the ATP’s lack of appropriate response on player misconduct

In the latest episode of Match Points, former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli says Alexander Zverev deserved at least a three-tournament suspension for his attack on the umpire in Acapulco

Alexander Zverev flies off the handle in Acapulco, February 2022

Haresh Ramchandani

April 5, 2022

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has said that she finds it hard to understand the ATP Tour’s lack of appropriate sanctioning towards players for misconduct in light of recent incidents involving high-profile players such as Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios, and rising American Jenson Brooksby. The Frenchwoman made the comments while speaking on the latest episode of the Match Points series alongside host Josh Cohen and tennis journalists Simon Cambers and Carole Bouchard.

Bartoli, now a leading tennis analyst, said that she does not understand the values of an organization such as the ATP that lets players get away with misconduct on court.

The Frenchwoman said that Zverev should have at least received a three-tournament ban for his behaviour in Acapulco, including the subsequent Indian Wells and Miami Masters.

“To see Zverev go out, attacking the umpire and smashing the racquets but stay within the lines of not hurting him so that he can defend himself, that was just outrageous. That would have deserved according to me at least deserved a three-tournament suspension, including Indian Wells and Miami and maybe one of the clay court events. Otherwise, where do you draw the line?”

Bartoli further went on to say that although Zverev was fined, the amount of the fine for players such as him who earn millions of dollars on-court and off the court, is not good enough.

“For tennis players such as Zverev, relative to what he is earning, the fine is not that much. I don’t think he will learn the lesson the way he should have learned.”

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I was completely surprised about the Brooksby incident: Bartoli on new Match Points video

Brooksby throwing racquet in Miami © Tennis TV / Tennis Majors

Bartoli added that while Kyrgios’ incident was unfortunate since the Australian did not intend to throw the racket in the ball boy’s direction, she was completely surprised by the one involving Jenson Brooksby.

The American threw his racket in frustration in Miami towards the back of the court and it went on to touch a ball kid, who moved away as it approached him,

“I was extremely surprised by Brooksby. When I saw him at the US Open against Novak (Djokovic), he reminded me of Ash Barty, not doing one step wrong, super humble, fighting hard, and to then go around and and throw the racquet. I have played the game. You can’t not know where the ball kids are,” Bartoli said on Match Points.

Earlier this week, it has been reported that the ATP sent an internal note to players saying that they can expect tougher sanctions for any misconduct but it remains to be seen if the men’s tour will walk the talk the next time a similar incident takes place.