It’s not often that a tennis player fires back on a member of the media so when it happens you know there has to be a just reason.
On Facebook, in a post, former two-time Australian Open champion Johan Kriek struck back against Tennis Magazine’s Peter Bodo for what he deemed inaccurate reporting…
Wrote Kriek: I just read a piece called “Along the yellow brick road” by tennis writer Peter Bodo.
Let me make it clear. I am NO fan of this writer. I have read many many articles by Bodo and he comes across as a tennis aficionado that knows a fair bit about the game and some players…..I say some players for a reason.
I played tennis for nearly 16 years on the ATP Tour and another 9 years on The Champions Tour with Connors, Borg, McEnroe and many other tennis greats. I am not going to …rehash any accomplishments by me or any of the other guys. We look at our sport which is really a great hobby we made some serious money at. Some with a lot more “noise”, some are just cool and go about their business their way. Writers like Bodo and others are coming from a very different angle and although they may have won accolades among their own peers in the journalistic sense, we as pros have a different view of some of these people. Bodo wrote a book years ago and I was in it along with a number of other notable tennis figures. I was still on the ATP Tour and after reading this piece of garbage I walked straight up to him and confronted him about the piece on me. He interviewed or had gotten third hand information from players on the tour that had very little interaction with me or had “heard” stuff blablahblah….
Bodo stammered thorough trying to say something and at the end all he could muster was “it is my book and I wrote it”….
Suffice to say Bodo will never be invited to my funeral….
He is an arrogant asshole, a writer who dismisses people and on top of it, skews facts to suit his style of writing and smear people while at it.
This piece of “history” is again another piece of dismissive writing on an era of tennis he thinks he has all the answers on. Typical arrogant jerk….
In Afrikaans we call you ” n’ regte doos”….. Go get your dictionary out…
Pretty hard hitting stuff.
Your thoughts?
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Boy I hope never to tick off a player like this. I don’t think I ever have, have a lot of respect for all of them and understand how hard it is to win any kind of tournament match at any level and the stresses involved in the heat of battle. The only time I can think of pissing off a player was when I approached Agassi in the mid 90s to do a Biofile in the old US Open locker room and he said to me, not in a nice tone at all, that reporters were not allowed in the locker room – but he was wrong we were allowed. I’m sure Rios had to be annoyed with that piece I did comparing his rude Biofile answers to the gentlemanly Nicolas Lapentti’s which really made Rios look like a jerk. Dan can you share some of your disputes with players during your career?
Andrew Miller · January 12, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Just read the Bodo piece. Nothing objectionable in his 2014 article. He had 3 references to Kriek in his book (one was too personal I’ll give Kriek that). Basically he said the Australian became a slam in every sense of the word and the equal of other slams (maybe not in prestige but all players consider it one of the 4 most important tournaments).
I can understand why Kriek was upset. No one like being referred to as a good not great player when you have two slams on your resume and you were the one playing for keeps. You could say the same on Thomas Johannson – but if anyone saw the match he played against Safin and after a shaky 1st set out and out beat him. Johannson’s not worse than Coria or Gaudio or Alberto Costa or any of those guys. He won his title fair and square.
But it is true that a lot of players avoided Australia. Agassi did until late in his career and regretted it – it became the cornerstone of his season and he build his schedule around it. I bet Agassi would have had a few more slams – maybe he would have hit the 10 slam mark.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Maybe a lot of the players skipped Australia because they didn’t have the dedication and toughness to fly all the way down under that time of year and it was the easy way out to just skip it. It this plausible? This was at a time before I followed the sport closely. Kriek was not some bum ranked outside the top 50, he was a top ten player, he should not be punished or discredited because certain top players were too lazy to compete. Given the Australian tradition in tennis for a century, given that Budge played and won down under, makes me suspect some modern era players just didn’t want to bother with the Australian Open. But, fortunately for the good of the sport, that perception has changed and now all players respect the tournament and fans and media have a fantastic fortnight to look forward to and enjoy every January.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 5:13 pm
To be honest, I look forward to the Australian Open just as much as any other major. Maybe even more in some ways. I love the way the courts appear on TV, the passion of the fans, the excitement and hope starting the new year, just the entire sporting entertainment package is as good as it gets. I’d rather watch a first round match on Hi Sense or court fifteen than the Super Bowl. Seriously.
Doogie · January 12, 2014 at 5:31 pm
In reality the Aus-Open are the most loved grandslam of fans, Journalist AND PLAYERS.
This is no secret! The atmosphere there is just amazing.
As example: Joakim Nystrom said he quit his work with Andreas Haider Maurer if he does not travel and play this wonderful tournament. Haider-Maurer wanted some week holidays and skipped it. Now these two split their combination.
Andrew Miller · January 12, 2014 at 5:48 pm
Bodo said aussie open was played by great players. But fact Mac Borg and others skipped in same year makes some tournies wide open. Nothing objectionable there. Kriek sensitive for good reason.
Andrew Miller · January 12, 2014 at 6:16 pm
I like reading bodo and tignor and Wertheim. Bodo gets carried away sometimes and makes some questionable statements but otherwise like his work.
Playing is different than writing. Bodo sometimes goes too personal.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 6:35 pm
Wow that is interesting Doogie. Can’t understand why Haider Maurer would make that decision. I get the sense and have been told by some players such as Luke Jensen that it’s the best major. Look at the excitement of all the top players about it. Some even get down there before Christmas to train – like Ivanovic. I remember Seles really liked it down there. Even Marcelo Rios had his best major success down there though Rios liked the French Open best.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 6:38 pm
Bodo is one of the best I loved his books on Sampras and the big size photo book from the 70s about the tour, my only gripe is his attacks on Nadal which are unfair IMO,, though admittedly I don’t read him all that much outside of his Tennis Magazine columns and his books.
Dan Markowitz · January 12, 2014 at 6:38 pm
I’ll tell you one thing, Kriek better not start writing for a living as his prose is sloppy and hard to read. Maybe it’s because it’s not his native language.
I don’t like the implication of Kriek’s remarks–that a guy like Bodo doesn’t know what he’s talking about and he takes his position as a journalist of the sport too seriously. I don’t always love Bodo’s writing, but he’s certainly a very good writer and he’s plied his trade assiduously.
I think some players like Kriek think that if you’re not a great player like they are–although I never thought of Kriek as a truly elite player, a cut below–you can’t possibly write knowledgeably about the game. Which is a crock of crap because certainly a guy like Bodo has studied the game in a different way than Kriek, but just as closely and with wise eyes. Look, if players were such great prognosticators of the game, how come a guy like Agassi doesn’t write his own book. The answer is he needs a professional writer to tell his story in an entertaining fashion.
Kriek might differ with Bodo, but he can’t touch Bodo as a writer. So pipe down, Johan.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Excellent article on James McGee by Ben Rothenberg. Love to read about the unknown players grinding and fighting for glory like this Irish gladiator. Hope McGee keeps a diary of his career, it could make for a cult classic book, if he can land Dan Markowitz as a co-author.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Dan, to be fair, Johan doesn’t edit his Facebook posts he just lets em rip freestyle. You get the point. He has written other posts about certain matches and experiences and they are excellent to the point that many people are demanding that he compile them all and make a book. He has a unique direct ‘tell it like it is’ style and a great memory. Not sure of the details of the Bodo-Kriek dispute but obviously Bodo did something Kriek feels was unfair and disrespectful and got called on it. I think Bodo is unfair and disrespectful to Rafa.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Also, I think it’s mandatory that a tennis writer has to have competitive experience playing at some level. A tennis writer has to know from personal experience what it’s like to be on the court competing in a pressure situation to be able to empathize with what professionals go through mentally and physically. I have played against the best in the country, national tournament calibre opponents and this experience helps to understand how hard it is to be a champion tennis player. But also I know some people who can’t play worth a lick but are very knowledgable about the sport and are keen observers who have a lot to offer and are fun to talk with.
Andrew Miller · January 12, 2014 at 7:26 pm
Players do need writers. Badly. David foster Wallace (rip) wrote about how Tracy Austins memoir should have been awesome. It wasn’t because she didn’t hire someone who could mine her rich career and put it into words. In his book Consider the Lobster chapter “how Tracy Austin broke my heart” is cruel but accurate. Austin had no mad skills with the pencil pen or ms word. A wizard on the court. No wizardry without it.
Scoop Malinowski · January 12, 2014 at 7:52 pm
Wow I didn’t even know Austin wrote a bio, true it could have been a classic, she has a unique perspective on the sport. But a lot of top players decide to not tell anything remotely controversial, as Dan found out with Spadea who he said pulled some material out late before the final edit. Players like Lendl and Courier won’t even write a book though many fans wish they would.
Doogie · January 12, 2014 at 9:13 pm
Haider-Maurer played deep into last year because he wanted to make the main draw of AO directy but failed. He felt exhausted after the long season and did not want to travel to Australia for the qualies.
The players opinions about the Grandslams here in Europe:
Doogie · January 12, 2014 at 9:17 pm
FrenchOpen:
The areal situation is just a shame and they “hate” the lack of space there. They just arrive for their matches and leave it as soon as possible.
Doogie · January 12, 2014 at 9:17 pm
US-Open:
Some just dont like the high volume on areal and courts. And the hectic NewYork sends out is not in lot of players favour.
Wimbledon:
Some just cannot manage to play on grass and due to this they dont like it that much.
The Australian Open is seen as the “fun Slam” because of the fan, who are very fair and lot of respect for ALL players, and the relaxed atmosphere!
bjk · January 13, 2014 at 5:59 am
Courier is a very smart guy with a ton of opinions. Love to read that book. He and Wertheim are friendly, that would be good combo. Probably never happen though.
Scoop Malinowski · January 13, 2014 at 7:29 am
Courier could pen a fantastic book – if he wants to lay it all on the line but you have to think he might take the diplomatic route given his political positions as Davis Cup cap and star TV commentator. Courier was definitely a firebrand warhorse in his career who didn’t mind annoying his opponents. Never forget when Biofiling Paul Haarhuis how he told me Courier tried to make their matches “personal.” Courier was a super intense player in his prime.
Dan Markowitz · January 13, 2014 at 11:28 am
A Courier book wouldn’t draw much of an advance. How many people are interested in Jim Courier? Seriously?
Scoop Malinowski · January 13, 2014 at 11:49 am
Who cares how many it sells or the advance? It’s a book that needs to be written by a unique special champion. I always liked Courier and would enjoy to read his bio, he’s a smart feisty intense great champion who played in a colorful era and it would be a fantastic read. Not many people cared about a Spadea book but it was an excellent read. Not many people care about Patrick McEnroe’s book but it’s also was an excellent read. Very few people care about James McGee but that article in the NYT this week was superb.
Andrew Miller · January 13, 2014 at 2:00 pm
With a good writer Courier’s story would b great. Guy who made 7 slam finals by age 22? Youngest ever to reach final of all four slams? Faster even than 2nd youngest to do this – Nadal (who did it at 24).
Courier was a freak. All freaks make for an interesting story with the right scribe.
Bryan · January 18, 2014 at 8:24 pm
Don’t know the specifics about this ruckus and this player is before my time. But from what I understand the AO wasn’t as prestigious back then as it is now. So maybe there weren’t as many top players there, making it easier to win. Even if that’s true fact is AO is one of only four majors so the history books don’t change.
BTW I am opposed to the current movement to try and add a fifth major. There’s only four and should always be four. You can’t mandate some tournament in Asia become a major just because it’s a growth market.
Scoop Malinowski · January 19, 2014 at 8:05 am
Bryan, If China puts up the money and the ATP sanctions the event and ranking points, surely the players will play it. I for one would not mind an extra major tournament on the calendar to get excited about but not sure where they can fit it in, maybe late Oct or late Feb.