Whether you’re an avid tennis fan or an everyday racket hater, anybody can appreciate a good tennis meltdown, an increasingly important part of what can be a very boring sport. Competing under intense pressure and often solo, tennis players are in the unique sporting position of having something to take their frustration out on. Traditionally ball-boys (and later girls) would take the brunt of the rage, ganging up to hold down their weakest colleague so an angry player could beat them silly. Since corporal punishment was banned, the tradition of boy-bashing (later also girl-bashing) has been replaced by racket-wrecking, which tires the player out less and means the game can resume faster.

The gold standard…

The only thing that can improve such artistic sportsmanship is commentary from experienced and insightful pundits, like the pair counting the number of whacks it takes Alexander Bublik to destroy his rackets.

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Greek expectations…

The famously bubbly and cheerful Nick Kyrgios is another racket smasher, though given his greek heritage this may be a nod to the tradition of smashing plates to either celebrate or commiserate. I wonder which it is for him?

Djoko-which?

Novak Djokovic pulls a fast one here, making us all think he’s going in for the losing racket in his hand, but actually stomping down on an innocent racket watching from the sidelines! Novak does so much damage that he nearly jams it in, and struggles to get the racket off the ground. There’s a reason he’s ranked no.1!

Contempt of court…

While this video is widely read as Fabio Fognini destroying his racket in anger, it really shows Fognini attacking the court itself, for the perceived slight of Fognini losing. You just can’t trust everything you read online, there’s always two sides.

HOW MANY TIMES?!?

Jerzy Janowicz takes the conventional racket smash to new heights here with an incredible piece of monologue, berating the umpires consistently poor calls (as he sees it) and threatening to leave the game. His final comment is the cherry on top, and delivered with delicious comic timing.

@eurosport For what?! 😒 #tennis #meltdown #angry #janowicz #australianopen #codeviolation #umpire #tennisumpire #tennismeltdowns ♬ original sound – Eurosport