'Time for sporting punishments': Toni Nadal blasts racket-smashing Medvedev

Toni Nadal —uncle of Rafael Nadal and one of the most respected voices on the circuit— wrote a column in El País in which he referred to Daniil Medvedev’s recent outburst against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi at the US Open. The legendary coach highlighted that the Russian not only lost control at a key moment in the match, but also projected an image unworthy of his status as a Grand Slam champion.

In his analysis, Nadal was especially critical of the former US Open champion’s inability to handle pressure. “I’m surprised that a player of Medvedev’s stature is incapable of calming his nerves and that he is willing to project this image of himself,” he wrote.

The Mallorcan did not limit himself to describing what had happened, but used Medvedev’s case as an example of a deeper problem within modern tennis. According to him, episodes of extreme frustration—such as smashing rackets or confronting the crowd—are happening more and more often and put the traditional values of the sport in question. “I think the time has come for tennis officials to consider applying sporting punishments to the increasingly common habit of players who smash their rackets on court,” he stated.

For Toni Nadal, tennis needs to reflect on why these attitudes have become normalized and why, unlike in other sports, they seem to be tolerated or even celebrated by the public. The coach’s conclusion is blunt: the culture of virality has turned into spectacle what should be grounds for sanction and correction.

The pressure and Medvedev’s limits

The Medvedev case reopens an uncomfortable debate within the circuit: to what extent can the pressure of the biggest stages justify certain behaviours? His defeat to Bonzi was marked not so much by tennis itself, but by the emotional reaction he had after the interruption in the third set. The fury against the chair umpire, the incitement of boos, and finally, the destruction of his racket produced images that quickly went viral.

Nadal himself interprets this reaction as a reflection of something larger: the difficulty modern players face in coping with the speed of the game and with constant exposure. “The combination of youth, stress and the feeling of lack of control brought on by the extreme speed at which the ball travels today triggers a frustration that players are increasingly less capable of mastering,” he wrote in his column.

According to The Athletic, Medvedev was fined $42,500 for his behaviour in the first round of the US Open: $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and another $12,500 for smashing his racket. All of this to be deducted from the $110,000 he was due for losing in the first round of the tournament.

It should be noted that the Russian has earned more than $1.9 million in prize money this year alone (including the US Open), and over $47 million in his career—solely from prize money, not including endorsements and sponsorships.

The former world No. 1 has repeated these behaviours —despite financial sanctions— reinforcing the idea that fines alone are not enough to change conduct. Nadal proposes that the circuit dare to go one step further, applying sporting sanctions that truly force players to rethink how they channel their frustration.

Toni Nadal and the culture of bad behaviour in tennis

Beyond the specific case, Toni Nadal warns of a dangerous trend: the glorification of the most controversial behaviours on social media. “The enormous impact and approval that unedifying behaviours receive, which are the most reproduced on social networks and, unfortunately, widely approved,” he lamented.

For him, the worrying aspect is not only that a player loses his temper, but that such an episode ends up being celebrated as entertainment. “Let’s not forget that one of the most followed and admired tennis players in recent years has been Nick Kyrgios, and he has not been so much for his undeniable natural talent as for his continuous misbehaviour and lack of education,” he wrote.

“This is the world we have entered, beyond tennis, and without seeming to worry too much: a world of proliferation and applause for the most deplorable behaviours, for outbursts and bad manners. And there is not always the possibility of applying a sporting punishment for all of this. A real pity.”