All fans of tennis will know that while there are plenty of awesome tournaments which happen throughout the year, the four majors still attract the most attention. One of these is the famous US Open which takes place in late August to early September each year at Flushing Meadows.
The 2022 US Open looks likely to be another great one and will have the top male and female pro players in action. Fans of tennis are beginning to make plans as to where they will watch the play, and which matches to catch. In addition, many people will also be looking at who is being tipped to win in order to place appropriate bets. This is not always easy to get right though, which is where
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While we may not know for sure what will happen at the 2022 US Open yet, we do know what has transpired in previous years. There have often been some truly stunning moments that have amazed watching fans. But what are the five most controversial moments in this event’s history?
1 - Serena abuses a lineswoman
We all know that Serena Williams is a true tennis great and someone with a fierce will to win. This boiled over somewhat in 2009 though, when she completely lost the plot after a line call that she didn’t like. Occurring in her match against Kim Clijsters, it led to her unleashing a volley of verbal abuse at the poor lineswoman. This backfired on the star though because the point penalty which arose from her outburst handed Clijsters the match. Of course, you could also include Williams’ famous 2018 outburst in which she called the umpire a thief and a liar here too!
2 - 2010’s infamous fan fight
At number two on our list, there is the unforgettable moment in 2010 when two groups of fans starting brawling after disagreeing about what they were seeing! This happened in a match involving Novak Djokovic and resulted in the warring factions starting a brawl high up in the stands. It got so bad that play was suspended while the police escorted the fighting fans out of the stadium. Although officials downplayed it at the time as being a mere heated argument between two sets of people, it looked more serious than that.
3 - Spectator shot in ‘77
This is one of the most
shocking moments in US Open history and one that thankfully has not been repeated. To even think of someone being shot at a top event like this is almost unbelievable. In John McEnroe’s third round match against Eddie Dibbs in the 1977 edition, a spectator was shot in the leg while watching the action unfold from the stands. Police later found that the bullet hit the fan after having been fired outside the stadium and ricocheting its way inside.
4 - Cornets 2018 shirt change
While looking at the
latest college tennis rankings is always fun, remembering some truly eyebrow raising moments in this pro tennis event is also worthwhile. A major controversy from more recent times was female player Alize Cornet’s shirt change in 2018. This caused major headlines at the time due to the allegations of sexism which were raised against US Open officials.
In her first-round match, Cornet took off her top in a heat-mandated break and was shocked to be given a code violation by officials. This was heavily criticized around the world because male players can change their shirts with no violations being given. Although she later got an apology, this still ranks as a controversial moment in recent US Open history.
5 - Roddick gets annoyed with Novak
One of the biggest stars US tennis has produced is the supremely gifted Andy Roddick. As well as being known for his on-court skills though, Roddick was infamous for his fiery temper. In the 2008 edition of this event, he faced off against tough opponent Novak Djokovic – and things soon got testy post-match. Incensed by Djokovic’s words towards him in the locker room after the game, Roddick had his own say and an altercation apparently ensued. Although it was sorted out quickly, it did leave lingering doubts of bad blood between the players moving forward.
US Open has some shocking moments to look back on
As the above shows, this elite-level tennis event has some highly controversial moments to reflect on in its history. Of course, this is what keeps people tuning in and coming back for more each year! It also helps to make tennis the exciting and interesting sport it is.
