7 big tennis controversies in 2023

• The return of Novak Djokovic to the US and Australian Open respectively calmed the waters
• But tennis controversies in 2023 still got their way
• Djokovic played and won the two major Grand Slams

The return of Novak Djokovic to the US and Australian Open respectively calmed the waters but tennis controversies in 2023 still got their way.

Djokovic played and won the two major Grand Slams that frustrated him the most in 2022. It was the Melbourne event that saw him deported back to Serbia after days of detention over his Covid-19 vaccination status. He couldn’t also get into the US in 2022 for the major slam in New York because he refused to be vaccinated.

A petition to US President Joe Biden ahead of last year’s event by a Serbian caucus in America to Djokovic play. However, their pleas fell on deaf ears. His vaccination woes made up the biggest of tennis mishaps in 2022 but the Serbian’s name is far from tennis controversies in 2023.

TENNIS CONTROVERSIES IN 2023

Tennis courts remained pretty exciting this season but not without a fair share of mishaps on the court. Here they are.

SIMONA HALEP’S DOPING BAN

Simona Halep has been banned for four years for doping. Photo/ Eurosport.

Romanian tennis superstar Simona Halep’s career was rocked by a four-year doping ban. She tested positive for Roxadustat, a banned endurance booster, at the 2022 US Open but vehemently denied knowingly taking the drugs. She defended herself by saying that it was an accidental contamination from a supplement.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) tribunal suspended her indefinitely by the in October 2022 after a positive test. Close to a year later, she was handed a four-year tennis ban for this and additional charges of anomalies in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). She has since appealed the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

NICK KYRGIOS ASSAULT CASE

Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open. Photo/Eurosport

Nick Kyrgios is not to tennis drama but his appearance in tennis controversies in 2023 is serious. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari in February but he was lucky that he was spared conviction as prescribed in Australian law.

Kyrgios’ attorney unsuccessful attempted to dismiss the assault charges based on mental health issues. The 28-year-old Australian tennis star ultimately entered a guilty plea in a Canberra court. The incident occurred during a dispute in Canberra in 2021, where he pushed Passari onto the sidewalk.

She sustained minor bruises on her leg and in his defence, he demonstrated that he was not in a good mental state at the time. Magistrate Beth Campbell, opting not to convict him, described the event as “a single act of foolishness or frustration.”

WIMBLEDON BAN FOR RUSSIAN AND BELARUSIAN PLAYERS

Wimbledon banned Belarusian and Russian tennis players from the prestigious Grand Slam event due to political concerns surrounding the Ukraine war. This decision sparked controversy and led to the tournament losing ranking points. The ATP Tour and WTA fined the tournament organizers by docking points.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC DOPING TEST

Novak Djokovic. Photo/Sports llustrated

Djokovic did not entirely skip the infamous list of tennis controversies in 2023. He recently stirred controversy over alleged refusal to take a doping test at the Davis Cup Finals. However, ITIA noted that Djokovic had reservations about the test’s timing rather than refusing to undergo it, as had been rumored.

He stated that he was against players being asked to take tests while getting ready for a game by anti-doping officials. Only an hour and a half’s warning was provided, said to the 24-time Grand Slam champion, which interfered with his pre-match preparations.

IGA SWIATEK COY TACTIC

Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek. Photo/USOpen.org

Tennis fans buzzed about Iga Swiatek’s habit of pausing while looking up during some of her crucial stage matches. Some call it intimidating, accusing her of using pauses to disrupt her opponents’ rhythm.

The world No. 1, however, claims it’s simply her way to gather focus, often lifting her racquet to signal a brief mental reset. While not ubiquitous, this ritual, especially noticeable on break and match points, sparked debate, leaving some rivals feeling unsettled and spectators divided.

It earned her a time violation during the Cincinnati Open when playing against violation Marketa Vondroušová.

Madrid Open

Madrid Open organisers had to apologise for not providing the women’s doubles finalists with the opportunity to address the crowd after their victory. Beatriz Haddad Maia and Victoria Azarenka emerged victorious in the women’s doubles category against Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in the tournament.

In a riveting final match, Azarenka and Maia secured their win with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-4. Following tradition, all four players were expected to deliver a speech. However, this did not happen. Madrid Open CEO Gerard Tsobanian said in a statement assured tennis players that the tournament is committed to celebrating all tennis champions.

BORIS BECKER WIMBLEDON BAN

Boris Becker Wimbledon ban in 2023 puts him right at the heart of tennis controversies in 2023. Becker’s exclusion from the esteemed competition is a result of his legal issues rather than anything to do with his coaching business. Since his release from prison, the 55-year-old, a six-time Grand Slam winner, is not allowed to enter the UK.

Becker was given a two-and-a-half year prison sentence in April 2022 for filing for bankruptcy and hiding £2.5 million in assets and loans to avoid paying debts. After serving eight months of his sentence, he was allowed to leave early in December of the same year, and he was then transported to Germany. He is not allowed to go back to Great Britain under the terms of his early release.