From Novak Djokovic's visa controversy to Monica Seles's on-court stabbing: 5 biggest tennis scandals in the history of the sport

Tennis has been a high-profile sport for a long time. Many players have gone on to become celebrities and some of the most revered athletes of all time. With considerable fan following, there's a certain amount of spotlight that the players and the sport have to deal with. As such, tennis has also witnessed its fair share of scandals, just like any other sport.

Some were minor controversies that were forgotten soon enough. Banter between players that gets a little heated, an off-hand remark taken out of context, etc are examples of such incidents. Others lingered on in public memory for longer. This includes Nick Kyrgios' crude comments about his then girlfriend Donna Vekic to Stan Wawrinka, for instance.

Serena Williams' showdown with the umpire during the 2018 US Open final and Novak Djokovic's default from the 2020 US Open after accidentally hitting a linesperson also dominated the headlines.

Then there were incidents that attracted considerable attention, not only from the tennis fraternity, but the global community at large. On that note, here's a look at some of the biggest tennis scandals in the history of the sport.

#5 Maria Sharapova's suspension after a failed drug test

Maria Sharapova at the 2014 French Open.

Maria Sharapova became an overnight sensation after defeating Serena Williams to win her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2004. She continued to remain in the limelight over the next decade due to her achievements on court and various ventures off it.

In March 2016, Sharapova announced she was going to reveal something during a press conference. Speculation was rife that the Russian was going to call it a time on her career. It was true that she was stepping back from the sport. But the reason was entirely different.

The former World No. 1 revealed that she had failed a drug test conducted during the 2016 Australian Open. She tested positive for melodonium, which was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency at the start of 2016. The substance was present in the medicine which she used to take for her health issues, while it was legally allowed for her to do so, until it was banned in 2016.

Sharapova wasn't aware that the substance had been banned and continued to take it. She took full responsibility for her oversight. She was banned for two years, but it was eventually reduced to 15 months. She returned to competitive tennis in April 2017. The final stretch of her career was marred by frequent injuries and she retired after her first-round loss at the 2020 Australian Open.

#4 Novak Djokovic's visa controversy and deportation from Australia

Novak Djokovic at the 2021 Australian Open.

Since it was announced that athletes will be required to be fully vaccinated to compete at the 2022 Australian Open, all eyes were on Novak Djokovic's next move. However, there was a provision in the mandate that players with a valid medical exemption would be allowed to compete.

The Serb had been vocal about his vaccine hesitancy and thus speculation was rife regarding his participation at the first Grand Slam of the year.

On 4 January 2022, Djokovic announced that he had received an exemption to compete at the tournament. However, upon his arrival in Australia, he was detained by the Australian Border Force who claimed that his visa did not meet the entry requirements.

Djokovic appealed the decision in court and won. The saga continued over the next few days until Djokovic's visa was revoked once again by the Minister of Immigration Alex Hawke. This decision was also challenged in court by the World No. 1. But this time, the verdict went against him.

#3 Serena Williams and Venus Williams suffer racist abuse at the 2001 Indian Wells Open

Venus and Serena Williams at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Serena and Venus Williams started dominating women's tennis in 2000. The duo's monopoly at the top of the game was questioned, as the matches between the sisters weren't that competitive. This led to allegations that the outcome of the matches was decided beforehand by their father Richard Williams.

At the 2001 Indian Wells, Venus Williams withdrew shortly before her scheduled semifinal match against her sister, giving her a walkover to the final. Serena Williams defeated Kim Clijsters in three sets to win the title. However, the younger Williams sibling and her family, who were supporting her from the stands, were booed by the crowd and even subjected to racial slurs during and after the match.

The sisters were subject to various degrees of racism prior to this incident, but the Indian Wells matter was a shameful affair. They didn't compete at the event long after that, with Serena returning to play in 2015 and Venus in 2016.

#2 Peng Shuai's sexual assault allegations against a powerful Chinese politician

Peng Shuai at the 2015 Australian Open.

On 2 November 2021, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai disclosed on her Wiebo account that she was sexually assaulted by Zhang Gaoli, a powerful politician in China. Her post was soon taken down by the government, but the story was widely circulated online.

After her post was taken down, Peng Shuai seemingly disappeared. The hashtag #whereisPengShuai began to trend on social media. Following days of silence from her end, the WTA decided to get involved in the matter. In a statement, the CEO and chairman of the WTA, Steve Simon, stated that he wanted assurances about her safety and the matter to be probed into an impartial manner.

By this time the tennis community had also gotten involved, with many expressing concerns about her safety. In the days after that, there was an email which was allegedly sent by Peng Shuai confirming her safety. A few video clips were circulated online in which she was seen going on about her activities, but there were doubts about their authenticity.

The situation had snowballed into a global matter by now. In the end, the WTA announced an immediate suspension of all tournaments in China in December. The step was taken as the government had failed to provide assurances that the matter was handled in a fair and transparent manner.

The incident shook the tennis community and the world at large and brought scrutiny to the issue of sexual assault yet again.

#1 Monica Seles's on-court stabbing

Monica Seles at the 1991 US Open Open.

The biggest scandal in tennis history is also the most devastating. From the 1991 Australian Open to the 1993 Australian Open, Monica Seles won seven of the eight Grand Slams she competed in. She became a dominant force on the tour and was quickly gaining ground on Steffi Graf, who was the leading player of the time.

On 30 April 1993, when she was competing at the Hamburg Open, Gunter Parche, a deranged fan of Graf, stabbed Seles between the shoulder blades. His intention was to injure her so that Graf would become the top player once again.

Following the incident, Seles didn't compete for more than two years. Her attacker wasn't punished adequately either and she didn't feel comfortable playing in Germany after that. The incident was, and remains, one of the biggest scandals across all sports.

Prior to the attack she was on track to become one of the most dominant players in the history of tennis. Seles eventually made a comeback, winning one Grand Slam title at the 1996 Australian Open and had a stellar career overall. But her career trajectory changed forever after the attack, and it remains one of the biggest what-ifs in tennis.

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