Top Ten Off-Court Moments of 2017

By
Mark Hall
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2017 was a great year for the sports, especially tennis, with the level of play on the court rising to heights previously unknown to former generations. There were numerous ugly spats both on and off the court, with much coverage of tennis this year overshadowed by ignorant and unpleasant comments loudly made by former stars, particularly in regard to real money online pokies. However, despite the high level of competitiveness amongst professional tennis players, there were moments of camaraderie between WTA opponents that were truly heart-warming to watch and did credit to the sport overall.

1. Nadal and Federer’s Mutual Respect

With their historic rivalry back on the cards, somehow the years seem to have bonded these legendary tennis champions together more than ever before. No rivalry in tennis history it seems has been marked by such a committed level of respect and mutual admiration like the one between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. After Federer showed up at Nadal’s training academy the previous year, the two titans of tennis joined forces to compete in a doubles match at the Federer-founded Laver Cup and were embracing in no time at all after successfully winning their trophy together.

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2. Federer and Murray’s Charity Appearances

Another tennis star showing for Federer’s gracious personality, both he and Andy Murray played in each other’s respective charity exhibitions, this despite the Scotsman having an injured hip, much to his credit. Federer returned the favour and showed off his sense of ceremony without contravening tennis rules by wearing a kilt at his guest appearance for Murray’s event.

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3. Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens’ Friendship

In the final of the tennis competition US Open, both these players showed clear commitment and respect to one another. They sat beside each other before going to collect their trophies and even went so far as to discuss what gifts the tennis winner should have to present to their opponent.

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4. Petra Kvitova’s Heart-Warming Welcome

The tennis player had been the victim of a horrible crime following a knife attack in her home country of the Czech Republic that had badly injured her left hand and forced her to stay out of the tour. Following her return to the court, the joyous reception she got from her fellow players was enough to bring a tear to the eye.

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5. Agnieszka Radwanska’s Wedding

Tennis stars Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki were both displaying themselves prominently for the wedding of their friend, proving that lifetime friendships can be built despite (or maybe because of) on-court rivalries.

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6. Serena Williams’ Wedding

The legendary world tennis champion celebrated her special day as she married Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian at a star-studded event. The wonderful couple already has a child on the way, and if the kid gets half of his parents’ skill and savvy, the worlds of business and tennis could be in trouble.

 

7. John Isner’s Wedding

A lot of top tennis players turned up for Isner’s big day. The beautiful ceremony was crowded with all types of talent from the tennis world in appearance, including players both current and the ones that have long since hung up the racket, testifying to the man’s character.

 

8. Nadal and Dimitrov Sail Away

These two top tennis talents shared a training session amidst the course of the season. Happily, the two found time to cool off, being spotted sailing on Nadal’s private yacht and playing in an online Australian casino. 

 

9. Boys Outing

The Davis cup saw a ferocious level of tennis competition, but if there was any bad blood lingering in the air, it was nowhere to be found. David Goffin and French competitors Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Lucas Pouille, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga all found time to wind down after the competition and joined forces to go on vacation with each other immediately afterward.

 

10. Tennis Back in Cinemas

The tennis as a sport was back on the big screen this year with two great movies. Battle of the Sexes starred Emma Stone and Steve Carell in a dramatisation of the historic match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King. Borg McEnroe, meanwhile, was a gripping dramatisation of the pair’s legendary rivalry.