If you are a tennis fan, then you probably know how many emotions tennis can bring to the audience. Extremely long matches, or emotional behavior of tennis players, or awkward actions always make tennis even more unforgettable. We recalled the most memorable situations that ever happened in tennis history.
10. Hitting the audience on purpose (Melzer)
Probably it is not so unbelievable and unique when a tennis player smashes the ball towards the audience but this story is a little bit different. It happened during the BMW open Championship in 2006. Jurgen Melzer was mad at one person from the crowd who was always distracting him and shouting offensive words, so he simply turned and smashed the ball towards that section of the crowd. Everyone was shocked but Jurgen was just too emotional.
9. Bloody tennis match (Youzhny)
Mikhail Youzhny was playing against Nicholas Almagro at Sony Ericsson Open Tournament in Miami and he was losing, realizing that it was impossible to win as his opponent was too good. Mikhail became really mad and started hitting his face with the racket, as a result of which blood appeared on his face. The audience was shocked so that situation is still remembered.
8. A racquet smash (Federer)
Roger Federer is a legendary tennis player from Switzerland who is famous for his titles, beautiful way of playing, and soft manners. So everyone was shocked when Roger smashed his racquet in 2009 when he was playing against Novak Djokovic in Miami. The audience booed Federer but it was the first and the last time when such a situation happened to him.
7. Longest Grand Slam final (Federer and Roddick)
People who watched the final of Wimbledon in 2009 were extremely happy as that match was too long and intriguing. Roger Federer and Andy Roddick were fighting to win the Grand Slam. They spent 4 hours and 17 minutes which became famous as the longest men’s Grand Slam final. As a result, Federer won and got his 16th Grand Slam title.
6. The longest match in tennis history
Wimbledon is not only the most prestigious championship, but it is also the tournament where many records can be set. For example, the longest match in tennis history was happening here in 2010. John Isner and Nicolas Mahut had an impressive fight for 11 hours and 5 minutes. They started their match in the evening but the game was suspended because it was too late. The next day also wasn’t enough for them, so they continued the competition during the 3rd day. As a result, the fifth set lasted for more than 8 hours but John finally made it and won the match. It took 183 games and the audience was shocked because the match looked endless. Before that, Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis also had their moment at the Australian Open in 2008 when they were playing for 2 days entertaining and surprising everyone. However, Isner’s and Mahut’s record is unbreakable.
5. Rafael Nadal’s victory in Wimbledon
Every tennis fan knows that Rafael Nadal is the king of clay as he is winning almost every Rolland Garros every single year, so when he had his winning moment in Wimbledon in 2008, people were really impressed and surprised. Nadal had the chance to win Wimbledon one year before that but, unfortunately, he wasn’t lucky and he lost. But 2008 was his lucky year, so a legendary tennis player Rafael Nadal finally made it and became the first player from Spain who won such a famous trophy in 40 years.
4. Hitting the King of Sweden accidentally (McEnroe)
Carl XVI Gustaf (the King of Sweden) came to the Stockholm finals in 1984 but he was probably not happy because of an unpleasant moment that happened to him. A famous tennis player John McEnroe forcefully hit the table where the refreshments were located which flew to the crowd. As a result, the King of Sweden was hit on the head. Luckily to McEnroe, the King didn’t make it dramatic and said nothing, so John just escaped punishment.
3. Plunging into the river to celebrate the victory and feel better (Courier)
Jim Courier was a famous tennis player who won several Grand Slam titles. He was playing against Stefan Edberg at the Australian Open in 1992 feeling not so good because of the intense heat. Jim did his best and won that tournament but right after his victory, he plunged into River Yarra to feel better.
2. One of the longest women’s matches (Kuznetsova and Schiavone)
Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova were «fighting» during the Australian Open match in 2011. Both of them were too motivated and none of them wanted to lose. That match lasted 4 hours and 44 minutes which sounds unbelievable, and it became the longest women’s match for the last decades. However, the longest women’s match in tennis history is the battle between Vicki Nelson and Jean Hepner in 1984 as they were playing for 6 hours and 31 minutes.
1. A fan of Steffi Grad stabbed Monica Seles
This is the most memorable but at the same time the most terrifying incident that happened in 1993. Steffi Graf was playing against Monica Seles who was the №1 that time but suddenly Graf’s fan stabbed Monica in the back. It is confirmed that he was mentally ill but still, that accident will never be forgotten, especially knowing that Monica Seles was never able to get her form back.
