Medvedev’s Racket Throw Sparks Calls for Stricter Rules

Former WTA player Rennae Stubbs criticized Daniil Medvedev’s recent on-court behavior.

Throwing rackets is common in tennis, but the rules are not clear on how to handle it. Some throws are judged differently, leading to inconsistencies.

The umpire often makes a judgment call, which can be problematic. Stubbs wants clearer rules after what she saw at the Laver Cup.

Medvedev was frustrated during his singles match and threw his racket dangerously close to the crowd. The umpire didn’t disqualify him despite calls for it from Team World. Medvedev admitted it was a bad move.

Stubbs Calls for Clear Rules:

Stubbs discussed this incident on her podcast, expressing her confusion about Medvedev’s actions:

“What the living F was he (Daniil Medvedev) doing throwing that racket that, well, it didn’t go into the crowd because there was this gap between the court and the actual audience, so for him to throw it at the crowd he would have to really throw it higher or bounce it a lot harder.”

This made Stubbs realize that both ATP and WTA need defined rules on racket throwing. She suggests players should be defaulted if their racket leaves the court.

Fans might think stricter rules could make matches safer and more enjoyable.

“We’ve seen players casually throwing rackets without worrying about defaults,” Stubbs noted. “Medvedev wasn’t concerned when he threw his racket.”

She believes automatic defaults for such actions make sense due to their danger:

“But it went near a couple of crew members and people sitting around the court. I think the WTA and ATP Tour need to make a blanket rule; if you throw your racket and it leaves the court, no matter what, you are defaulted.”

Stubbs’ points highlight how reckless actions like Medvedev’s shouldn’t happen in tennis. Strict rules could prevent injuries by making players think twice before acting out.

Without penalties in place, there’s no reason not to do it again. Do you agree with Stubbs?