Australian tennis fans and media may be "racist".

[GTOA]

Notice who the media and Australian tennis public seem to not like of Australian players over the years.

Mark Phillipoussis
Jelena Dokic
Nick Kyrigos
Bernard Tomic

All four have been heavily criticized by the media and armchair experts, when we should be supporting their own. The allegation is that they misbehave and don't fit into the box we want them placed in, but notice something else about the quartet I mentioned.

They all have ethnic parentage.

I think part of the criticism is really a veiled thing of Australians not accepting someone who isn't a lily-white Anglo-Saxon as representing our country. We want dyed-in-the-wool Aussies like Rafter and Hewitt, not first generation Aussies with darker skin and an ethnic sounding name.

People can say what they like. But the pretense of being self-righteous and telling these people how to live their lives, is giving a free hit to racists who use this to hide behind their non-acceptance of someone who isn't multi-gen Australian representing this country.

Here's a test. Who is the last ethnic born but Australian raised or born of ethnic parents tennis player that we have embraced?

 

[The Passenger]

Here's a test. Who is the last ethnic born but Australian raised or born of ethnic parents tennis player that we have embraced?

Thanassi Kokannakis.

Andrew Ilie was much loved as well.

The criticism at Dokic was much more at her Dad then Jelena herself.

Hewitt copped it much more then Philippoussis.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Sam Stosur is of Polish descent I believe.
Chris Guccione, has to be some Italian in there.
Jarmila Wolfe, Slovakian born.
Daria Gavrilova, Russian born.
Casey Dellacqua, Italian heritage.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

I don't buy into this 'race card' rhetoric that Australians only like white Anglo-Saxons rather than those with an ethnic background.

Philippoussis was criticised because of his flamboyant lifestyle and seemingly lazy attitude despite possessing a world of talent that was never fulfilled.

Dokic's relationship with the Australian public was up and down. I think her representing Serbia after initially representing Australia left a bitter taste in some people's mouth but after seeing her fiery relationship with her father and the downfall she went through, I think a lot of people embraced her after that. You only have to watch her 2009 Australian Open performances to see this.

Kyrgios has an attitude that divides people, but I don't think his talent can be questioned. I think in recent times, Kyrgios has shown signs of channelling his aggression better even though the media would have you believe that he's still the bad boy of tennis. He has his moments which can irk most people, but I'm a fan of his tennis ability alone more than anything else.

Tomic is another with attitude problems over the years, but again I think it's been overstated by the media. I don't have a major issue either way with him. I think Kyrgios is a player with more flare and excitement than Bernie but I don't mind him.

Also, Hewitt wasn't very well-liked in his early days despite being at the peak earlier in his career and he would be seen as the typical White Anglo-Saxon Australian. I was a never fan of him and only started to embrace him in the last few years of his career where he began mellowing out.

 

[Hamingja]

Hewitt copped it much more then Philippoussis.

Philippoussis copped it mainly because of Davis Cup availability in the early days. The cars, girls etc might have meant he never reached his true potential but I don't think he was really criticised for it so much at the time, not to the level Tomic has anyway.

I guess it is a bit of sign of the times in general. Safin was generally admired by the public for his attitude on and off court, no different to what Kyrgios is doing today.

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Australia racist? No s**t.

 

[Underdog]

I think there IS a sense of subconcious bigotry. We seem to like to build kids up and then get upset when they struggle to handle the pressure or don't fit in the Aussie larrikin sterotype. Dawn Fraser's comments really highlighted this.

 

[JackNah_8]

I think there IS a sense of subconcious bigotry. We seem to like to build kids up and then get upset when they struggle to handle the pressure or don't fit in the Aussie larrikin sterotype. Dawn Fraser's comments really highlighted this.

Yes.... telling them to back to their country.

 

[Broar]

I think there IS a sense of subconcious bigotry. We seem to like to build kids up and then get upset when they struggle to handle the pressure or don't fit in the Aussie larrikin sterotype. Dawn Fraser's comments really highlighted this.

Agreed, I think it's also a case of a lot of these 'armchair' experts wouldn't even be watching Kyrigos at all and are basing their opinion on the clickbait rubbish once every month or so.

 

[GTOA]

Thanassi Kokannakis.

Andrew Ilie was much loved as well.

The criticism at Dokic was much more at her Dad then Jelena herself.

Hewitt copped it much more then Philippoussis.

Who mentions Kokkannakis. No-one, because he doesn't get close to winning anything.

Andrew Ilie? How many people, other than true tennis fans, remember Andrew Illie?

The criticism was of Dokic when she defended her dad (heaven forbid a daughter defend her father).

I remember at the time, a lot of tennis identities (and Dawn Fraser, who was nothing to do with tennis) was telling Dokic to cut ties with her father, and move out on her own. But Dokic was 15-16 at the time, and too young to live by herself, especially in a foreign country. Why didn't any of these people telling her to kick her dad to the curb offer for her to move in with them instead, and take her under their wing? She had no choice but to move back home with her father.

Also, in her culture, father knows all. So Dokic didn't know any better than to obey her controlling father, and more people should have offered to help her, rather than tell her what to do, and leave her to do it on her own.

Hewitt has never copped it more than Scud. And if he did, what does that say about the judgmental tennis public, who care more about a player's behaviour than their performance.

I think that most so-called tennis fans don't give a fig about Australian tennis or the Davis Cup. They only care when the Australian Open is on, so that they can go, and brag at work the next day that they went. There's few fans who actually emotionally invest in Australian tennis.

 

[GTOA]

Sam Stosur is of Polish descent I believe.
Chris Guccione, has to be some Italian in there.
Jarmila Wolfe, Slovakian born.
Daria Gavrilova, Russian born.
Casey Dellacqua, Italian heritage.

Chris Guccione? I know who he is, but I bet a lot of Australians don't.

Stosur, Wolfe, Gavrilova, Dellacqua? When do the media ever talk about them outside of the Australian Open? They don't give a rats about women's tennis. If they did, Stosur would be called out more often for choking in matches.

The fact is, in Australia, if you are a tennis player, you are criticised or completely ignored. Only Kyrigos or Tomic are mentioned, and in a negative way. Conversley, you never hear stories talking about Sam Groth's incredible serves, or Kokannakis' progress. Because Australians don't care about tennis, since the thing they most highlight is manners rather than performance.

 

[JackNah_8]

Who mentions Kokkannakis. No-one, because he doesn't get close to winning anything.

Andrew Ilie? How many people, other than true tennis fans, remember Andrew Illie?

The criticism was of Dokic when she defended her dad (heaven forbid a daughter defend her father).

I remember at the time, a lot of tennis identities (and Dawn Fraser, who was nothing to do with tennis) was telling Dokic to cut ties with her father, and move out on her own. But Dokic was 15-16 at the time, and too young to live by herself, especially in a foreign country. Why didn't any of these people telling her to kick her dad to the curb offer for her to move in with them instead, and take her under their wing? She had no choice but to move back home with her father.

Also, in her culture, father knows all. So Dokic didn't know any better than to obey her controlling father, and more people should have offered to help her, rather than tell her what to do, and leave her to do it on her own.

Hewitt has never copped it more than Scud. And if he did, what does that say about the judgmental tennis public, who care more about a player's behaviour than their performance.

I think that most so-called tennis fans don't give a fig about Australian tennis or the Davis Cup. They only care when the Australian Open is on, so that they can go, and brag at work the next day that they went. There's few fans who actually emotionally invest in Australian tennis.

I remember that time when people were telling Dokic to leave her dad, she was a teenager! As if she can easily leave her parents and many people didnt understand the culture differences. It wasnt easy for Jelena to cut ties with her dad.


Andrew Illie was an average player with some crazy shots, very hit and miss.

Does anyone remember Hewitt playing at the Adelaide Open as an 16 year old and he got upset that the fans were supporting his opponent, not him. So during his press conference he call these fans morons lol


Hewitt annoying Chela back in 2005 lol

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Chris Guccione? I know who he is, but I bet a lot of Australians don't.

Stosur, Wolfe, Gavrilova, Dellacqua? When do the media ever talk about them outside of the Australian Open? They don't give a rats about women's tennis. If they did, Stosur would be called out more often for choking in matches.

The fact is, in Australia, if you are a tennis player, you are criticised or completely ignored. Only Kyrigos or Tomic are mentioned, and in a negative way. Conversley, you never hear stories talking about Sam Groth's incredible serves, or Kokannakis' progress. Because Australians don't care about tennis, since the thing they most highlight is manners rather than performance.

I really don't understand what you are trying to get at. I was just pointing out a number of Aussies that don't necessarily have an anglo background that are liked. When players act like flogs they will be called out for it. As others have pointed out Hewitt was a brat when young and copped a lot of flack for it. Tomic and Kyrgios are in the spotlight because they are our top players, when they do dumb things it will be noticed. People do care about Sam Stosur and her habit of choking is discussed a lot. She doesn't abuse umps, say dumb things at pressers, threaten to not play Fed Cup, or criticise TA though. As you've pointed out yourself, it's behavior that is the source of critcism not the ethnic or cultural background of the person.

 

[jamaican_eagle]

Notice who the media and Australian tennis public seem to not like of Australian players over the years.

Mark Phillipoussis
Jelena Dokic
Nick Kyrigos
Bernard Tomic

All four have been heavily criticized by the media and armchair experts, when we should be supporting their own. The allegation is that they misbehave and don't fit into the box we want them placed in, but notice something else about the quartet I mentioned.

They all have ethnic parentage.

I think part of the criticism is really a veiled thing of Australians not accepting someone who isn't a lily-white Anglo-Saxon as representing our country. We want dyed-in-the-wool Aussies like Rafter and Hewitt, not first generation Aussies with darker skin and an ethnic sounding name.

People can say what they like. But the pretense of being self-righteous and telling these people how to live their lives, is giving a free hit to racists who use this to hide behind their non-acceptance of someone who isn't multi-gen Australian representing this country.

Here's a test. Who is the last ethnic born but Australian raised or born of ethnic parents tennis player that we have embraced?

turn it up. You're an idiot. For one, there are plenty of people of these background who hate these players too.

Eg. I know of plenty of people of greek background who hate kyrgios. Also, a ton of people hated Hewitt and he is anglo saxon.

Also, even if they're from a different part of europe to the anglo countries they are still considered "white", apart from maybe Kyrgios because he is actually half malaysian.

When you say "They all have ethnic parentage", what does that even mean? Aren't we all part of some ethnicity?

 

[matt_897]

No but NewsCorp have an anti-Kyrgios bias, their stories are absurd

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

They don't give a rats about women's tennis. If they did, Stosur would be called out more often for choking in matches.

Honestly what a stupid thing to say. She should get lambasted for choking?? It's like people think she owes them something. This is why most sports fans are real daft, low IQ morons. The woman has actually had a great career and made a fortune in the meantime. Getting dragged through the mud (like she has at AO in past years), for farking up tennis matches is just stupid. I hope you consider what you said.

 

[Pie eyed]

Notice who the media and Australian tennis public seem to not like of Australian players over the years.

Mark Phillipoussis
Jelena Dokic
Nick Kyrigos
Bernard Tomic

All four have been heavily criticized by the media and armchair experts, when we should be supporting their own. The allegation is that they misbehave and don't fit into the box we want them placed in, but notice something else about the quartet I mentioned.

They all have ethnic parentage.

I think part of the criticism is really a veiled thing of Australians not accepting someone who isn't a lily-white Anglo-Saxon as representing our country. We want dyed-in-the-wool Aussies like Rafter and Hewitt, not first generation Aussies with darker skin and an ethnic sounding name.

People can say what they like. But the pretense of being self-righteous and telling these people how to live their lives, is giving a free hit to racists who use this to hide behind their non-acceptance of someone who isn't multi-gen Australian representing this country.

Here's a test. Who is the last ethnic born but Australian raised or born of ethnic parents tennis player that we have embraced?

You will probably find Australians are being "Flogist" as all these players a total ******* flogs.
It is not racist to dislike w***ers, flogs dickheads and tools.

 

[Jugada]

Nothing racist but our media and country as a whole are a disgrace in trying to lay the boot into any of our players for petty bull s**t

 

[GTOA]

Honestly what a stupid thing to say. She should get lambasted for choking?? It's like people think she owes them something. This is why most sports fans are real daft, low IQ morons. The woman has actually had a great career and made a fortune in the meantime. Getting dragged through the mud (like she has at AO in past years), for farking up tennis matches is just stupid. I hope you consider what you said.

No-one had a problem calling Greg Norman a "choker".

The fact, Stosur never gets called out for "choking" or her inconsistent performances because she is female. Pure and simple. No media outlet will scrutinize her because they will be branded "sexist" by feminazis like Susie O'Brien and others who push the feminist agenda.

Another example of this "feminist agenda" is how Kyrigos was castigated and bullied by Kitty Chiller, yet a slap with a wet feather is used on Anna Flanagan, who actually committed a crime. And no-one in the media points out the hypocrisy because to criticise either Anna Flanagan or Kitty Chiller would be considered "sexist", yet it seems okay to be "racist" by bagging Kyrgios for his supposed behaviour.


Your user name is "Hirdy is a champ". You are calling someone who ran a calculated drug regime that got his players rubbed out for a year a champ, and you call me daft and having a low IQ?

 

[Wolfs]

No but NewsCorp have an anti-Kyrgios bias, their stories are absurd

This x1000

EUgh I read an article writtn by that useless Fitzgibbon about how Aussies want someone who's proud to represent their country and they can be proud of as a person.

1. Kyrgios and Tomic play Davis Cup.
2. They are winners. Sure Tomic has issues on court with his game and Kyrgios with attitude butboth Top 25 players.
3. Literally the country that adores AFL and NRL players + Shane freaking Warne.
4. TOmic and Kyrgios get along with the tennis community.
5. Literally sending DUI Flanagan and Michael Diamond.

Also when did Australia become the custodians of ethical sportsmanship? Heck no country is.

 

[pluggeranddoc]

As a Greek can I please ask that Kyrgios is referred to as a Malaysian?

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

No-one had a problem calling Greg Norman a "choker".

The fact, Stosur never gets called out for "choking" or her inconsistent performances because she is female. Pure and simple. No media outlet will scrutinize her because they will be branded "sexist" by feminazis like Susie O'Brien and others who push the feminist agenda.

Another example of this "feminist agenda" is how Kyrigos was castigated and bullied by Kitty Chiller, yet a slap with a wet feather is used on Anna Flanagan, who actually committed a crime. And no-one in the media points out the hypocrisy because to criticise either Anna Flanagan or Kitty Chiller would be considered "sexist", yet it seems okay to be "racist" by bagging Kyrgios for his supposed behaviour.


Your user name is "Hirdy is a champ". You are calling someone who ran a calculated drug regime that got his players rubbed out for a year a champ, and you call me daft and having a low IQ?

Again, load of crap. Look at my join date, and this is the tennis part of the forum if you haven't realised. You resort to an attack on my username because you can't argue the point. She copped it for quite a few years during AO, apart from that, interest isn't that great so no one cares. You still make completely ridiculous arguments. How the * has feminism got anything to do with this?? She's won a slam, which only a small percentage of players actually do, especially Aussies. Her being chastised in media, achieves nothing. Sport, in the grand scheme of things is an entertainment business, it really has no meaning.

And yes the woman constantly bagging Kyrgios is a dickhead. Though to argue it's due to "feminism", is silly. She's obviously on some massive moral high horse and full of her own self-importance. Kyrgios (unfortunately due to being a ********), is an easy target at the moment. As for this Anna Flanagan woman (I had to search what you were talking about btw), I'd suggest it's because there is NO interest in bloody hockey, except for once every four years. If you've got some feminism problem, take it up in a different forum. Same with football. Goodnight.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Daria Gavrilova, Russian born.

Notice they have to give her an Aussie nickname - "Dasha" - because Daria is too foreign/MTV cartoon.

 

[ozgamer]

Notice they have to give her an Aussie nickname - "Dasha" - because Daria is too foreign/MTV cartoon.

Actually Dasha is a Euro nickname for a Euro person. Just like:

Maria Sharapova is Masha.
Agnieska Radwankska is Aga.
Victoria Azarenka is Vika.

Also, Gavrilova prefers to be called Dasha. Lucky for our media I guess

 

[Bomberboyokay]

I've never heard anyone called Sharapova "Masha".

But if she was Australian I bet I would.