[tomclarky]

(Original post by TenOfThem)
What if they throw the racquet at the floor in front of an official and it bounces into the official's face

Had he kicked a hoarding nowhere near anyone then that may have been different ... given the position of this board in terms of the official the behaviour was inexcusable

imo

If he didn't intend to hurt anyone then i don't think the guy should be disqualified, in that scenario. He should be fined though.

[James82]

(Original post by Gangee)
Someone should have gone to Specsavers

Have you seen the video? He clearly goes to kick the shins of the line judge, he even makes contact with his leg after the hoarding.

[Hopple]

(Original post by James82)
He quite clearly kicked the guy, watch the video, he clearly follows through and kicks his leg after the wood.

He's not trying to hit the guy, and the guy was barely injured. It was, and no false bravado, just a scratch. He could have danced off if he had so wished.

(Original post by James82)
Have you seen the video? He clearly goes to kick the shins of the line judge, he even makes contact with his leg after the hoarding.

If he was aiming for the guy, why go for the wood first? Go for a horizontal kick if that was his intent.

[TenOfThem]

(Original post by tomclarky)
If he didn't intend to hurt anyone then i don't think the guy should be disqualified, in that scenario. He should be fined though.

Either he intended to hurt the linesman

OR

This demonstrates such a violent lack of control that I think it brings the game into serious disrepute



I think that we simply draw the line in a different place

[Fusion]

I found it funny. Also who at Nike decided to advertise on that little board.

Does the commentator describe it as "the wood part of him" lol

[tomclarky]

(Original post by TenOfThem)
Either he intended to hurt the linesman

OR

This demonstrates such a violent lack of control that I think it brings the game into serious disrepute



I think that we simply draw the line in a different place

Marcos Baghdatis once destroyed four rackets in the space of a minute in a rage when he was losing, arguably showing a violent lack of control and was only fined. I agree we probably just have different ideas of what is acceptable.

[James82]

(Original post by Hopple)
He's not trying to hit the guy, and the guy was barely injured. It was, and no false bravado, just a scratch. He could have danced off if he had so wished.


If he was aiming for the guy, why go for the wood first? Go for a horizontal kick if that was his intent.

How do you know it was just a scratch, he could have broken his shin bone for all we know?

Plenty of reasons why you'd go for the wood, it would probably cause more damage, it would look more like an 'accident', who knows? But it is clear from the video that he couldn't fail to realise that his actions would result in anything other than than the line judge being hit. Whether his actions were caused out of frustration or not is largely irrelevant, he knew when he swung his foot that the line judge was there and he still did it.

[The Rusty Spork]

I hope the linesman sues him and presses charges

[barnetlad]

The right decision.

It would have been ironic if John McEnroe had been commentating.

[James82]

(Original post by tomclarky)
Marcos Baghdatis once destroyed four rackets in the space of a minute in a rage when he was losing, arguably showing a violent lack of control and was only fined. I agree we probably just have different ideas of what is acceptable.

But, Baghdatis' actions weren't clearly going to hurt someone, there is a difference between a violent lack of control towards a tennis racquet (or four in the case you cite) and a violent lack of control that is clearly going to result in the injury of a human being.

[James82]

(Original post by Mess.)
I hope the linesman sues him and presses charges

I agree, I'm amazed the police didn't escort Nalbandian off the court, if a spectator had done that in a moment of frustration you can be sure they'd be spending the night in a cell.

[Hopple]

(Original post by James82)
How do you know it was just a scratch, he could have broken his shin bone for all we know?

Plenty of reasons why you'd go for the wood, it would probably cause more damage, it would look more like an 'accident', who knows? But it is clear from the video that he couldn't fail to realise that his actions would result in anything other than than the line judge being hit. Whether his actions were caused out of frustration or not is largely irrelevant, he knew when he swung his foot that the line judge was there and he still did it.

If his shin is broken and Nalbandian's toe isn't, then he needs to drink his milk - just standing up would be a risk for him and I wouldn't blame Nalbandian for that. And you have to be very cynical to think it was deliberately at the guy by Nalbandian anyway.

[Sternumator]

I am suprised some people think the game shouldn't have been called off, you can't continue after that. He should be banned for a long time too. It is annoying people defend him by saying he didnt mean to hurt him when it was obviously going to happen if you kick the barrier like that. Even if there wasn't a person in the box I still think it is completely unacceptable behaviour, imagine if someone did that at a local club. Just because he thinks he is a big man tennis player doesn't mean it is ok to go around pointless destroying stuff he doesnt own.

[tomclarky]

(Original post by James82)
But, Baghdatis' actions weren't clearly going to hurt someone, there is a difference between a violent lack of control towards a tennis racquet (or four in the case you cite) and a violent lack of control that is clearly going to result in the injury of a human being.

Difference is, you think Nalbandian did it on purpose. I think he just swung his leg in frustration without even thinking. Incredibly stupid yes. But pretty unlucky it struck the line judges leg in such a way that it gashed it open. If it bounced off harmlessly then no one would have cared. As i say, fine him, dock points or whatever, just think calling the whole final off was a bit much, assuming it wasn't intentional.

[James82]

(Original post by tomclarky)
Difference is, you think Nalbandian did it on purpose. I think he just swung his leg in frustration without even thinking. Incredibly stupid yes. But pretty unlucky it struck the line judges leg in such a way that it gashed it open. If it bounced off harmlessly then no one would have cared. As i say, fine him, dock points or whatever, just think calling the whole final off was a bit much, assuming it wasn't intentional.

If I kicked you and it 'bounced off harmlessly' would you care?

I can't believe people are sticking up for Nalbandian, the guy should be sitting in a cell waiting to go before a magistrate tomorrow morning, anyone else in the stadium would be if they had done the same thing. There is no way that he didn't realise his actions were going to end up hurting the line judge, he's right in front of him.

[f1mad]

(Original post by James82)
If I kicked you and it 'bounced off harmlessly' would you care?

I can't believe people are sticking up for Nalbandian, the guy should be sitting in a cell waiting to go before a magistrate tomorrow morning, anyone else in the stadium would be if they had done the same thing. There is no way that he didn't realise his actions were going to end up hurting the line judge, he's right in front of him.

.

[A128]

Notice the woman on the right in the background with the necklace, her expression does not change one bit LOL, she seems to be sleeping or something...

[James82]

(Original post by Hopple)
If his shin is broken and Nalbandian's toe isn't, then he needs to drink his milk - just standing up would be a risk for him and I wouldn't blame Nalbandian for that. And you have to be very cynical to think it was deliberately at the guy by Nalbandian anyway.

One's a trained, fit, young athlete protected by trainers, the other is an old guy sitting in a chair protected by a pair of trousers.

You have to be blind to say that Nalbandian clearly didn't realise that the line judge was going to get hurt, of course it was deliberate. In the heat of the moment? Yes. Out of frustration? Yes. Accidental? No.

[JOR2010]

(Original post by James82)
Have you seen the video? He clearly goes to kick the shins of the line judge, he even makes contact with his leg after the hoarding.

Ha, who would be stupid enough to do that? That could result in an even more serious sanction.

[Sirocco11]

(Original post by James82)
One's a trained, fit, young athlete protected by trainers, the other is an old guy sitting in a chair protected by a pair of trousers.

You have to be blind to say that Nalbandian clearly didn't realise that the line judge was going to get hurt, of course it was deliberate. In the heat of the moment? Yes. Out of frustration? Yes. Accidental? No.

Um, do you know who David Nalbandian is? 30 years old doesn't count in my book as a 'young athlete'.

You can keep trying to convince people that he did it deliberately but the majority of people can see it wasn't intentional. He lost his temper, kicked the advertising board without realising how close it was to the linesperson and injured him. It was as simple as that.