Women tennis player conduct exemplifies sportsmanship

For a long time in the sports world, poor behavior on the court or field was taken as a sign of passion. Whether it was players breaking equipment and storming into the locker room or coaches throwing sideline temper tantrums and threatening referees, we accepted the outbursts as par for the course and moved on with little more than an eye roll.

But that tide is turning as it becomes crystal clear that one sport in particular has cornered the market on sportsmanship. If you’re seeking the gold standard of behavior on the court, look no further than women’s tennis.

In recent months, women’s tennis players have been giving lessons — and not in how to perfect your backhand. On multiple occasions, athletes have reached out to each other in gestures of kindness and support, despite having no obligation to do so.

In early August, powerhouse Serena Williams faced off against 19-year-old Canadian newcomer Bianca Andreescu in Toronto’s 2019 Rogers Cup Final. After having to pull out of a match due to injury, a crying Williams was comforted and embraced on the sidelines by Andreescu.

Last week, 15-year-old Coco Guaff lost in the third round of the U.S. Open and was struggling not to cry in front of more than 20,000 spectators. That’s when her opponent Naomi Osaka — once consoled herself by Williams — hugged her and invited her to participate in the post-match on-court interview typically reserved for the winning player. Once there, Osaka heaped praise on Guaff and her family.

The latter example came just one day after tennis player Daniil Medvedev antagonized the crowd and surreptitiously flipped off a referee during a match and just one hour before tennis player Nick Kyrgios used obscenities in an argument with an umpire.

The difference is only highlighted by the spate of sports meltdowns in the last month — like when Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer hurled the ball over the center-field wall at the prospect of being pulled from the game, or when golfer Sergio Garcia reacted to a poor drive by slamming his driver onto the grass and making a massive divot on the tee box, just one week after throwing the driver at his caddy.

One can only hope that other sports will follow the example set those athletes, and make it clear that not only will lashing out no longer be accepted as an appropriate response to a loss, but arrogance and conceit will be frowned upon in the event of a win.

Shannen Talbot can be reached at [email protected].