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Must admit, I’ve had some ugly moments on a tennis court too
34 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Scoop
By Scoop Malinowski
Being critical of Serena Williams behavior yesterday in the US Open final vs Naomi Osaka, reminded me that I’ve been involved in a handful of ugly and negative experiences on the tennis court, and the blame wasn’t always on the opponent.
Many friendships were made because of tennis but also several friendships were broken. Also, interestingly, friendships have been formed even after some pretty intense feuds in tournaments.
One of my favorite memories was playing this one guy in my early years of USTA tournaments. I wasn’t good but I wanted to be good. So I tried extremely hard and my former hockey background instilled a super intense streak. I used to love to hit and fight anyone on the ice in the heat of battle and that fury on a tennis court sometimes exploded. This one guy whooped me bad in straight sets twice and walked off the court arrogantly. I saw he did this with other players too. When I beat someone pretty badly I always tried to be nice after and offer some positive helpful words.
The second time I played him he killed me again 62 61 and left the court quickly. We shook hands and I tapped or slapped him on the chest a bit harder than he expected and liked and got me suspended for it, for like three or four months.
Then we played the third time in another tournament. It was a helluva match. I was up 6-0 in the first set breaker and lost it 13-11 – this was the fifth set in a row I lost to this guy! But I came back and won the next two sets 64 76 in what was my best match of my life to this point. We ran into each other two weeks later at the next tournament and became friends which we still are to this day, about 14 years later.
Another guy I used to train with would beat me once in a while but I’d always win the next time. One time he beat me in a game to 21 and never would play me again. That was dirty in my book and our friendship dissolved after our paths crossed a few times and we had some bad words for each other.
Another guy in a semifinal of an open in about 1999 was playing mind games in the third set and kept screwing up the score but always in his favor. The third time he tried that I had to correct him again and so I added, “How come every time you get the score wrong it’s always in YOUR FAVOR?” Well, he went ballistic and charged the net yelling at me like he wanted to fight. But I stayed calm and smiled back at him, and said to the tourney director watching, Hey, you might have to call the police this guy is crazy. Fortunately I won the match in third set tiebreaker.
Another jerk, a lawyer, called my passing shot out which clearly landed in about six inches in. He refused to change his terrible call and I had to go and bring down the tournament referee of this state tournament to watch the match. His cheating angered me so much I never lost another game the rest of the match from 4-3 me in the first set.
Another guy tried to intimidate me in the warm up of a 35s tournament by twice trying to hit me with overheads. My response was to say no words but to spit in his direction from the baseline. It was not right but I had to respond in some way.
These incidents were all a long time ago, over a decade ago.
But still every now and then I hit my boiling point. In a USTA league match in Florida, my captain made me drive all the way to a match 45 minutes and there was no court open, so we had to play the match on these terrible nearby free courts with poor lighting and a misty drizzle. I could barely see the ball with my contacts and eventually lost in a third set tiebreaker. I knew if I played him in daylight on a normal court I would have won 62 62, because of his past results against opponents I beat. After the match I smashed my water bottle and then picked up the pieces. I was so mad at my captain for the mix up which probably was intentional and then the conditions of this court and how I could not play my game and see the ball normally so I had to push the whole match and stay back. We ran into each other at the Sarasota Open last year and were cool, we vowed to train together someday too. He said, “You have a rage like McEnroe.”
I liked that comment, but not as much as a great Jersey player once told me friend privately but he told me anyway, “Mark has a desire to win that is beyond belief.” Can’t argue with that. The goal was always to become an elite player and win many tournaments, so far I’ve won 40 and reached the finals of two state tournaments and quarterfinal of national.
Another memorable old match that pops into the mind, the guy beat me in three sets after I won the first and he empathized with my intensity after, saying “I respect how you play, some people just have to vent.” He was a really cool guy and such a good player, However I never saw him again as for some reason he stopped playing or moved away. I remember he told me he beat a guy in the final at the USTA national tennis center and the guy got his email somehow and kept harassing him to play a rematch.
Tennis is tricky, you want to win badly and you want to do it like they do it on TV without drama or bullshit but some people try to push your buttons and things escalate. Just this year in the Bradenton/Sarasota 5.5 Ultimatetennis.com league match, this guy kept muttering to himself that I was just pushing, “All he can do is push.” Over and over and over as I kept luring him make errors with high deep balls. I listened to it all and said nothing. Then when I scorched a backhand pass winner by him I decided to reply: “How’s that for a pusher? You still gonna call me a pusher now??!!” He got annoyed by that and made it an issue. But I felt he was unfair, he was dishing it out but then when I dished it out he got upset.
The wackiest story I heard happened in a USTA 35s, a match between an Italian and a Jewish guy. The Jewish guy kept pushing the other guy’s buttons, really provoking him. After the first set, each went to the bathroom and the Italian guy, who was a former hockey player, locked the door and beat the hell out of him. Since their were no witnesses, he claimed the Jewish guy started it. Both got suspended by the USTA for that fight.
Probably the angriest I ever got on a court was when I played this dentist guy in the semis of one of my first tournaments. Everybody said I had no chance to beat him, my only hope was if he got hurt. Million to one odds against me. He was really cocky too, all smug. When he saw I won a tough quarterfinal darkness delayed match to play him, he said smugly, “I saw you survived that match.” I said no, “I kicked his ass.”
I saw this guy a year or two before trying to annoy a college kid with his arrogant BS. Until the college kid yelled at him, Why are you acting so immature when you’re 38 years old?! The kid really got him good.
So we played and he was much better, far more experienced. He was up 3-love and he said on the changeover “Oh you’re playing so well.” I’m losing 0-3 and he says I’m playing well. Then he said I was too intense and treating this match like it was as important as Wimbledon. I said, Yes this tournament is my Wimbledon.
That fired me up. I got more intense and started playing better and hitting better shots and yelling cmon. He won the set 61, But in the second set I hit my zone for the first time ever. I was up 2-love with game points for 3-0! It was a miracle. I was hitting winners and playing with an intensity like Hewitt on ten espressos! Then he hooked me. He tried to quick serve me in that third game on like the fourth deuce. I said, No I’m not ready, do it over. I was back at the fence toweling off – it was like 80 degrees – when he hit the serve. He refused and the tournament director let him get away with that. Then he won the next point and it was 2-1.
I was so pissed. I told him that was the worst cheating I ever saw and he kept that smug arrogant condescending demeanor, a real ass. So I got an idea, I will quick serve him too, I ran out and served before he was ready but he protested and the tourney director took his side again. I said No way, I’m not letting him steal another point after he stole that point in the previous game. He said If I didn’t play I was defaulted. I refused to conceded that point and was defaulted. I felt like punching him out after or having a fight but did not go that route.
I saw his friend a few years later and lost to him after playing an earlier long tough tow hour match in 90 degree heat with nothing but warm water. He was seeded so he only had one match that day. He was a grinder and ground my weary legs down 64 61. I knew I was better but I lost because I was so tired and had no cold drinks or any food at all – I was so dumb back then. I threw my racquet all over the court and made an ass of myself that day. I think I kicked his bag too on the changeover at the net. I was wrong and apologized.
About ten years later I played this guy again three times in the span of about a year, all in USTA tournaments and I won each match in straight sets, proving that I only lost that first time because of fatigue and heat. It was torture to play and lose to a guy you know you should beat because you are exhausted from the heat. It’s one of the worst, most helpless feelings you can feel on the court.
A really nice moment happened this year. Semis of red clay states. I lost 7-5 in the third after blowing two match points. First time losing to this guy after beating him six times in previous years. After the match he stood up and said how much he respected my game and how hard I fight and never give up and how I was able to handle his heavy topspin shots to my backhand. I just said, “I have nothing to say but thank you for the kind words I appreciate them, I gotta give you a hug.”
I never ever thought that I would hug a guy who just kicked my ass from match point down in a state tournament that will decide the no. 1 ranking in the USTA 35s – he’s at 1 and I’m at 2.
So anything and everything can happen on the tennis court, good and bad, and that’s a major part of the allure, the unknown, the theater of the unexpected, how negatives can be turned into positives. Tennis offers so many benefits, so much exercise, challenge, thinking, and of course so many memories and stories to share and savor. And most of all, tennis makes you become a better person in many different ways. And that’s probably the most important thing. The self improvement aspect.
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Matty · September 10, 2018 at 12:32 am
I can’t say that there’s much cheating in our Mid Atlantic sectionals, where I am a perennial top-ten player, but occasionally it happens. A well-placed stare or a quick racquet drop usually makes the point. Among the hyper competitive guys that I practice with outside of matches, it’s a badge of honor if you can make the other guy lose his cool and smash his racquets – my friend Rob did it last week when he trailed 3-0. And Dan’s was a ninety foot toss indoors when he lost to me in a tiebreaker. But during tournaments we are always respectful. Which leads me to that one cheater, Bruce M. After several bad calls in a row, I simply caught his ball bare handed at the service line and called it out. After he got over his initial shock, he got the message. Just in case, I hooked him on match point to drive home my message.
catherine · September 10, 2018 at 9:23 am
Off topic Scoop (but maybe not that much) I’ve just seen that Julie Heldman, daughter of Gladys, has written a memoir called ‘Driven – a daughter’s odyssey’ which might be of interest to anyone wanting to know more about tennis life in the 60s/70s and early years of the women’s pro game. Haven’t read it yet, got on order.
I knew Julie slightly, she lived in London for a while, and I did a profile for the US Tennis magazine and for the British Lawn Tennis mag. Very bright and not a bad player either. A great drive volleyer.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 9:44 am
Matty thanks for sharing your stories. All competitive tennis stories are interesting. You are in a very competitive section and I’ve played many guys from there of all ages and they are super tough players and pretty fair. I have heard other sectional players say Eastern is the most competitive and intense, definitely more so than Florida which is more relaxed.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 9:59 am
Catherine, Julie is a legendary figure in tennis. I look forward to your comments about this book.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Scoop,
The Hollywood elite have come to Serena’s defense including Ellen Barkin, JK Rowling and Gabriel Union. All blame the umpire as sexist.
Then Katrina Adams’ statement that Serena didn’t realize she was being mic’d made no sense whatsoever.
What is funny to me is we hear about a double standard being cited. I have never heard any male or female athlete talk about their son or daughter ever. Why doesn’t the left-wing media bring that up? Scoop, in these incidents above, did that ever happen?
Absolutely shameful that Serena can get away with this behavior. Obviously T-P readers here have been on the mark with comments and tennis fans in general who understood what happened.
There are numerous articles saying John McEnroe got away with worse who don’t realize he got defaulted at the Aussie Open. The amount of fake news out there is incredible.
Serena owes apologies to both Ramos and Osaka but she won’t give them. Even worse are looney writers like Sally Jenkins defending her unsportsmanlike behavior.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Poor Ramos is being dragged through the mud as a sexist by many idiots who know nothing about tennis. It reminds of the Harrison-DY situation where Harry can be called racist with no repercussions. Serena is blatantly calling Ramos sexist – even though he has penalized Nadal, Djoker, Kyrgios, etc. – and there are no repercussions. She was fined, she violated the rules and the umpire has to be regarded as a sexist by her?
Anybody defending her needs their heads examined.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 2:33 pm
By the way did you know Serena has a daughter? I heard her mention this in a calm and lucid manner in the final.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Another controversy at the Open was Coco Vandeweghe complaining there was no trophy ceremony. I am sure she is saying that was sexist. I never realized how sexist tennis was, according to the media. They have truly enlightened me.
catherine · September 10, 2018 at 3:07 pm
Duke – the ITF have defended Ramos and fined Serena. Djokovic also refused to condemn the umpire or agree that women are treated differently. I haven’t noticed much comment from the rank and file of WTA players either and Navratilova, so far, has been notable for her silence.
And please Duke, it’s not a left/right thing. There’s been plenty of discussion here in the UK where those terms really don’t apply in sports at all. Most of the fans and commentators have deplored Serena’s behaviour regardless of any known political views.
Who cares what BJK says ? She was a great player but now she just spouts nonsense.
Most, if not all, women of this and previous generations, have experienced sexism at work and elsewhere, and from where I am Ramos’ behaviour was not sexist.
My suspicion is that people who have jumped on this bandwagon will quickly jump off again when they see it’s going nowhere, the tennis grind will start again and Serena will never regain her supremacy. Holed below the waterline.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 3:23 pm
Catherine, you are right on this point:
Most, if not all, women of this and previous generations, have experienced sexism at work and elsewhere, and from where I am Ramos’ behaviour was not sexist.
The problem is many in the media labeled Ramos a sexist and now he is branded as such. All the media here in the States, the morning talk shows, etc. have branded this as sexist.
You may know he was not and I may not know it but many do not. He is 100 percent owed an apology by Serena. If I was him, I would insist on one or quit.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 3:31 pm
It’s wacky how so many celebrities and media are coming out in full support of Serena now. But we knew this would happen. Just imagine the media uproar if Roger Federer verbally abused and bullied a non white female chair umpire or pointed his finger at her and made threats about her never calling one of his matches again. The media would be crucifying and demonizing Federer until he begged for forgiveness and apologized fifty times over. The media spins anything they want. Hopefully Serena will come to her senses and apologize to Naomi and Ramos and we can move on. But the best part of this is it added great drama and controversy to the sport and as we know, Controversy sells. Maybe next time Serena will assault the next chair umpire who defies her. That would be outdoing herself. That would be interesting to see how the media spins that in her favor.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Catherine, some lesser known players have tweeted support and congratulations to Osaka without mentioning Serena so it seems they are afraid of riling her or arousing her wrath for the next locker room encounter. That’s my read on their carefully worded tweets that salute Osaka but make no mention of Serena.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Yes, Duke, Ramos has been villainized by the media, totally unfairly. They will lie and slander, twist and spin, fabricate charges and try to destroy Ramos in order to save their fallen chosen hero. Ramos should have gotten out of the chair and kissed Serena’s feet after she smashed her racquet and again after her tirade. The veteran experienced chair umpire deserves NO RESPECT or CONSIDERATION. Everybody must bow to Serena, even the chair umpire, because she has won all those majors and she’s a mother now. What an abomination this debacle has been to the sport. Imagine how disgusted people like Rafa, Federer, Murray, Sampras, Agassi, Rod Laver are. Just imagine that. But they won’t say a word in defiance of Serena because the media jackals will attack them as racist sexists.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 3:41 pm
Rich Eisen on radio also defending Serena. You won’t find any American television media person telling the truth on this, you won’t do it.
It’s all fake news
Thomas Tung · September 10, 2018 at 3:45 pm
A few media personalities in the wilderness (going against the “narrative”, though):
Martina Navratilova made some good points in this NY Times Op-Ed: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10/opinion/martina-navratilova-serena-williams-us-open.html
Stephen A. Smith also made good points (and outright said that Serena was wrong): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cTFguHi9E0
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 4:20 pm
No one will dare criticize Serena in the mainstream media, if one does, he or she will be vilified and demonized like Margaret Court. Serena is a goddess and can’t be touched. She has special privileges. The emperor has no clothes syndrome. Or the Billy Mumy Twilight Zone episode where the people are allowed to think or say only good thoughts, despite the presence of being with the lil bastard of a prick kid. Who if anyone dared to challenge the kid they would be sent to the cornfields as a jack in the box 🙂
Hartt · September 10, 2018 at 4:44 pm
Navratilova was critical of Serena in her NY Times piece. I thought Martina had a balanced approach, and her article is worth reading.
Dan Markowitz · September 10, 2018 at 4:57 pm
Will you shut up with the mainstream media and leftist media crap. We made a pact that I expect everyone will follow not to bring politics into this site. You both, Scoop and Duke, are going directly against this. I want you to stop. I personally can’t stand coming on this site and hearing about the mainstream media and the leftist media. You guys both probably believe that the media created Michael Cohen or Paul Manafort or Michael Flynn.
The media didn’t. Ok, and as Thomas pointed out, there are members of the media, Martina Navratilova and Stephen A. Smith who have criticized Serena as did Jon Wertheim, who called her reaction “entitled,” in this riposte on the subject.
“It was ugly all around and few are swaddled in glory here. Certainly not Serena. Not for her failure to grasp the rules (it’s a coaching violation; not a coach solicitation violation). Not for her entitled reaction, even in heat of battle. Not for a general lack of poise during the moment and lack of much accountability after it.”
Also, an Australian cartoonist posted this cartoon about Serena: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/herald-sun-serena-williams-cartoon_us_5b9663ffe4b0511db3e460f0.
So let’s leave out Donald Trump (which more than happy not to mention, Thank God) and terms like “mainstream media” and “leftist” media, because I’ll tell you, the appearance of these ugly and divisive comments on Tennis-Prose.com, I’m told by a USTA media rep was one of the reasons we didn’t receive press credentials to the Open and the Laver Cup.
Hartt · September 10, 2018 at 5:02 pm
There is criticism of Serena. Cindy Shmerler has an article on Tennis.com where she is highly critical of Serena’s actions.
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2018/09/serena-williams-2018-us-open-code-violations/76875/
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 5:50 pm
Dan you brought up Trump. I didn’t not have I ever. You can point out anything political I said on this thread since I haven’t.
Credit to Steven a Smith. But he’s in the minority of TV personalities. I am talking about mainstream media, Dan. Kelly Ripa on TV, Katie Couric. These women have clout.
Yes there are a few commentators ripping Serena and I do agree tennis fans are mostly in the right. It’s the mainstream audience that you don’t see any hint of accountability.
There were 86 code violations on men and 22 on women at the Open yet we are discussing a “double standard.” Yes women are victimized but not in tennis and not at this US Open. And a good man is having his name dragged through the mud because of this entitled Nike athlete.
Sam · September 10, 2018 at 5:56 pm
I read Martina’s article. I can’t believe she had the guts to say what she did. Amazing, and kudos to her. She didn’t really blame Ramos at all.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 5:57 pm
Politics mixing with tennis has happened again and we are all trying to avoid the politics part of it, well done by all, but still it seeps into the discussions. Let’s get it back on track now and end the politics. Good to see some in the media are aptly criticizing Serena. That is a good sign and frankly I’m surprised. Wish she was woman enough to bite the bullet and apologize to Ramos and Osaka and we could all move on. I really hope she has the class to realize the mess she created and end it with a class gesture. She will be forgiven as Donald Young was for his FAKE NEWS charges of phantom racism on Ryan Harrison, it will really rehab her image. Evert, Graf, Seles, Martina never came close to behaving as badly as Serena did two days ago. Even Monica Seles suffered the worst injustice of all and she still managed to handle it with amazing class. Imagine the chaos if Serena got stabbed by a deranged Kerber or Osaka fan.
Hartt · September 10, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Dan I wondered if the comments on politics, etc. were part of the reason you did not receive press credentials for the USO and Laver Cup. Do you think if posters here stopped making those comments that you would have a chance to get press credentials next year?
Dan Markowitz · September 10, 2018 at 7:19 pm
You’re a 100 per cent right. The USTA Media Department which granted Tennis-Prose.com many media credentials to the US Open in the past, this year because of the posts they read on our site talking about “fake news” and the media “crucifying” certain players and the media going into “a feeding frenzy” against players, the USTA communicated to me that this language is not acceptable.
You can’t have it both ways. You can’t ask for a media credential to a major event like the USTA and at the same time, decry the media and complain about its value. Otherwise, why have a tennis web site that covers tennis if you think media coverage of tennis is all biased and controlled. We shot ourselves in the foot and unless the tenor of this web site, we’re not going to get media credentials for major tennis events. That was made quite clear to me.
Dan Markowitz · September 10, 2018 at 7:21 pm
I’m sorry, I meant to say we can’t apply for a media credential to the US Open if we’re constantly going to lambaste the media covering the US Open and we need to change the tenor of this site if we’re going to be taken serious as tennis web site covering the sport and its players without such rancor.
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2018 at 7:29 pm
Dan, when did you get this message? Please fwd it to me. You were saying the issue was our site was considered more of a blog/forum type site and not a news site. So that claim turned out to be untrue? Why didn’t she just tell us that in the first place?
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 7:35 pm
The USTA can’t have it both ways either. They fined Serena and rightfully so and then Katrina Adams “defended her sportsmanship.” This why Serena won’t apologize because the powers that be condone this behavior.
If this was the first Serena incident, it’s one thing but she’s the only player to threaten a lineswoman about meeting her in a dark alley. At the same tournament. So she shouldn’t really be given leeway and as noted on this site, she told Ramos “You will never work on one of my courts again.”
As Scoop said, the DY-Harrison issue proved to be a a false accusation. All we said then was DY should apologize and that is all we are saying now with Serena. I think she would serve as a great example if she did but she didn’t publicly apologize for wanting to shove a ball down that woman’s throat either.
I see in too many sports everyone blaming referees or umpires and it is wrong. Dan himself said what a tough job it is to be in that chair and I believe it. It would be huge to admit to Ramos that she was wrong.
Scoop makes a good point. No woman was ever been victimized as greatly as Monica Seles in the history of any sports and she acted with astounding grace. Yet somehow Serena is the most victimized person in the history of sports.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 8:46 pm
I don’t think this site is unfair at all to the U.S. Open or the USTA. On the ESPN broadcast itself, they were talking about the different tennis balls used by the men and women and Fowler made a remark how the Slams keep that information tightly guarded and about the USTA in particular. Nobody is denying ESPN a credential.
I too thought the credential issue was because Dan said this site is considered a blog so this is new information to me.
Duke Carnoustie · September 10, 2018 at 11:35 pm
Mary Carillo also agreed with Martina but this other woman just makes up that Ramos didn’t call violations on other players.
Credit Carillo for telling it like it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=4HbTA-tDIaY
catherine · September 10, 2018 at 11:42 pm
The information about different tennis balls used in men’s and women’s matches is widely known and has been discussed before in various places. I remember Andy Murray mentioning it about 3 years ago. As far as I know it’s not a secret. How could it possibly be ?
Can’t see the relevance.
As I mentioned above it was the ITF who fined Serena and defended Ramos. Not the USTA. That was reported in the British press.
Duke Carnoustie · September 11, 2018 at 1:36 am
Catherine, the info on tennis balls is known, it was just Fowler made a remark about the Slams and the US Open guarding its secrets. That sounds conspiratorial yet no one is pulling his credential.
I hope the USTA is reading this because every decision they make is correct and we should praise them all the time to get T-P a credential. I guess that is the answer.
catherine · September 11, 2018 at 3:36 am
I haven’t got into this issue of the credentials before, partly because I live in Britain where things are rather different, and also because I didn’t honestly think I had anything to say which would be likely to change minds at the USTA.
However, if the USTA have granted credentials before to T-P and now refuse to, for a specific reason, then I believe the people, or person, in charge of credential allocation should make their reasons clear and put them in print, via email or letter. Then everyone would know where they stood. Has the USTA’s policy changed ? Does someone actually read every post on every website which applies ?
It seems vague to me, although I thought we’d agreed, no politics. Which seems reasonable.
Dan Markowitz · September 11, 2018 at 6:48 am
I don’t want to reveal my source at the USTA, but she’s in their Media Dept. and she said clearly to me that Tennis-Prose.com content had been reviewed and that in a nutshell, they thought the site contained too many negative attacks against the media.
The USTA among other things, gives out media credentials to the Open. This woman told me that if you want to be part of the media covering the event, you can’t disparage the role of the media again and again. You can criticize certain media members view or columns, but you can’t be referring to the media as “fake news” and the Left media because it creates a bad image of the organization you’re trying to be apart of. She said she thought Scoop and I who have been writing for tennis publications for years understood that.
It’s like Groucho Marx saying, “I don’t want to be a member of any club that would accept me.” You have to want to be a part of the media if they’re going to grant you a press credential for the US Open apparently.
catherine · September 11, 2018 at 8:22 am
There used to be a saying in old Fleet Street that ‘dog doesn’t eat dog’ in the newspaper world and I suppose that’s basically the USTA’s thinking.
These issues of Left/Right don’t really come up in the sports writing world in the UK, as I think I said above, so it’s a bit alien to me but I can understand how your contact there is arguing. The media is a closed shop, if not strictly through unionisation then in other ways. And the USTA certainly doesn’t want any trouble with the press – it has enough anyway.
I can see a place in the press-room for T-P though, if certain guidelines are accepted and stuck to.