Wimbledon threaten fines for mistreating ballkids

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Wimbledon is prepared to take action against players who behave badly toward ball boys and girls and plans to discuss the matter with representatives of men's and women's tennis, commercial director Mick Desmond said on Wednesday.

The subject became a hot topic last week after Spaniard Fernando Verdasco was pilloried on social media for appearing to berate a ball boy for not bringing his towel quickly enough at the Shenzhen Open.

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka also drew online criticism for shaking an empty water bottle in the direction of a ball boy in China Open before tossing it to the floor.

Swiss tennis great and eight times Wimbledon winner Roger Federer, himself a ball boy in his youth, said on Tuesday that players needed to respect the kids, who are all unpaid volunteers at Wimbledon.

Wimbledon commercial director Mick Desmond, speaking to reporters at the Leaders Sport Business Summit held at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium, said Wimbledon expected mutual respect by everyone at the tournament, from players to cleaners.

"There is a code of ethics at Wimbledon. I think there is more respect shown because I think there's a sense of expectation of that."

"But a ball boy or ball girl getting shouted out for not throwing a towel back, the players clearly know what's expected of them and what's not and Wimbledon is not afraid to fine players, whatever their standing," he added.

Next month's Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, the season-ending tournament for the best Under-21 male players, plans to do just that with players instructed to use a towel rack "to remove the onus on ball kids to handle towels."

"But there needs to be mutual respect between the two entities."

Source(s): Reuters