"Almost hit my friend in the face with his racket": Indian Wells ball boy confirms most unpleasant players including Zverev, Kyrgios and Shelton
ATP
A ball boy
revealed the most pleasant and least pleasant players on the courts, including
Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios, and especially Alexander Zverev. The fan shared
their impressions on Reddit and mentioned several ATP and WTA players.
The ball
boy has been working for several years at Indian Wells and mentioned some
negative situations he experienced with some players. First, he mentioned
Sascha Zverev as 'the worst' and mentioned that Alicia Parks spoke to them
using bad words:
"I've
had so many really cool and crazy experiences, I'm happy to share them with
anyone who's curious. The worst was Zverev, who yelled at me for giving him the
wrong ball even though they all looked the same. He was losing.
"Kyrgios
almost hit my friend in the face with his racket after the match with Nadal.
Norrie and Zverev himself both yelled at a boy with Down syndrome. Alycia Parks
kept telling us to give her the (bad word!) ball."
Coco Gauff at 2023 Indian Wells
The ball
boy also mentioned Adrian Mannarino as there are comments he has heard about
him being unpleasant, although he acknowledged that he has never been on the
court with him: “I've heard that Mannarino is unpleasant, but I've never been
on the court with him.”
Other main
targets mentioned by the ball boy were Novak Djokovic and the young star Ben
Shelton: “Shelton is rude and dismissive off the court, somewhat self-centered
when he plays. Djokovic gets impatient when he loses and sometimes lashes out
at the ball boys, but usually he does it at the umpires. There are also players
who hit the ball boys for their behavior on the court."
Read also
"Finally,
he made a list of the players who have seemed the friendliest to him,
highlighting among them Coco Gauff, Stan Wawrinka, Jannik Sinner, and Maria
Sakkari:
"The
best is Coco Gauff, she asked us to make a TikTok with her, but they were so
bad that she never published them. The nicest and kindest are Stan Wawrinka,
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alex De Minaur, Maria Sakkari, Coco Gauff, Emma
Navarro, Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud, Emil Ruusuvuori, Ons Jabeur, Matteo
Berrettini, Hubert Hurkacz, Ugo Humbert and Gael Monfils.
“They are
only nice when they win Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, Andrey
Rublev, Davidovich Fokina, Nick Kyrgios and Fabio Fognini,” he added.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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