IT’S hotting up at this year’s Wimbledon with record-high temperatures of 32.3°C – but it’s not just on the court where players feel the heat.
Unlike their pristine whiter-than-white outfits, scores of past and present tennis stars have found themselves embroiled in shocking scandals.
Match fixing, sordid affairs and drug abuse are but a few ‘faults’ of the players who have graced the London Mecca for tennis fans.
Just last week Japanese tennis ace and Former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori, 35, withdrew from Wimbledon shortly after issuing a public apology to his wife, who he’d been caught cheating on.
Snaps emerged of the former World No 4 leaving his apartment with his mistress, model Azuki Oguchi, who he had a years-long affair with.
Kei made a “deep” apology to his wife Mai Yamaguchi and their children – aged four and one – but not before saying sorry to sponsors, fans and tennis chiefs.
According to Shukan Bunshun, he said: “I deeply apologise for causing discomfort to everyone who supports me: tennis fans, associations, sponsors, and other related parties, and for their concern and inconvenience due to my dishonest behaviour.
“Additionally, I deeply regret making my wife and children feel hurt.”
Last year Kei was beaten in the first round at Wimbledon by France’s Arthur Rinderknech.
He is far from alone in straying over the line due to temptation and the pressures of the tour circuit. Here we reveal some of the tennis world’s darkest secrets.
Cocaine shame
British No2 Dan Evans will battle it out in the singles against Jay Clarke today, one year on from being knocked out in the first round last year.
The Brummie, now 35, was famed for being such a hell-raiser during his younger years that his funding was cut three times for his poor attitude.
The first time was in 2008, for clubbing until 3am before a junior match at Wimbledon, and again four years later for poor performance.
“I’ve calmed down a bit and matured… I wouldn’t make those mistakes again,” Dan said at the time.
Then eight years ago he was slapped with a one year ban after admitting taking cocaine.
At the time drug testers found traces of the white powder in his washbag in Barcelona, he was ranked 43 in the world and was in the best form of his life.
Evans said at the time: “It’s really important that you know this was taken out of competition and in a context completely unrelated to tennis.”
In 2018 he told The Guardian: “It’s a shocking drug – and not just in sport; it’s terrible in life, it’s a life-ruiner… I took it.
“I knew beforehand I shouldn’t have. It’s illegal for one, never mind being a sportsman. If you’re taking drugs you’re not in the clearest mindset.”
Abortion row
When Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert announced they were getting married, the number one players appeared to be the sport’s golden couple.
But in 1974 the wedding was called off abruptly at short notice without explanation.
Evert, 70, was understandably outraged when Connors, 72, gave his version of events in his memoir, The Outsider, a decade ago.
He hinted that Evert, then 19, had fallen pregnant and had an abortion weeks before their planned nuptials – against his wishes.
“An issue had arisen as a result of youthful passion and a decision had to be made as a couple,” he wrote.
“Chrissie called to say she was coming out to LA to take care of that ‘issue’… I was perfectly happy to let nature take its course and accept responsibility for what was to come.”
Evert hit back, accusing Connors of using the book to “misrepresent a private matter”.
Love cheat
Three time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe lived up to his ‘Superbrat’ reputation off the court.
His six-year marriage to Oscar winning actress Tatum O’Neal was partly undone by their drug taking and his inability to remain faithful.
O’Neal lost custody of her children after their divorce and spiralled into a heroin addiction – but later got clean.
In a documentary McEnroe, now 66, admitted that using cocaine “didn’t help” their marriage and “I have myself to blame for that”.
He also confessed: “I don’t think infidelity helps. I believe that’s both of us. I believe that’s the end of the end.”
McEnroe added of his drug-taking: “These days they take performance enhancing drugs. We were taking performance detracting drugs. Putting smoke in your mouth isn’t the best thing.”
Over the years, he would later joke that 37 therapists were unable to solve his anger issues.
Rogue dad
Peter Graf was credited with shaping the career of German tennis legend Steffi Graf – and then tarnishing it with one scandal after another.
The problems began in 1990 when a magazine claimed Peter had enjoyed passionate clinches with a naked model 30 years his junior.
He admitted at the time: “If it had not been for this affair Steffi would still be number one in the world.”
A year later Peter reportedly hit a tennis fan on the arm while watching his daughter play in the French Open.
Then in 1997, he was sentenced to two years in jail for evading £5million in tax on her earnings.
After winning 22 Majors, Steffi retired from tennis in 1999 aged 30, while ranked as the world No3.
Peter died from pancreatic cancer in 2013 aged 75.
Mental breakdown
American Jennifer Capriati was the youngest ever seeded player at Wimbledon when she starred at the Grand Slam event in 1990, aged just 14.
But the pressure of playing at the top level so young proved to be too much.
At the age of 18 she was arrested for shoplifting and possessing cannabis.
She said “Mentally, I just lost it. I really was not happy with myself, my tennis, my life, my parents, my coaches, my friend.
“When I looked in the mirror, I actually saw a distorted image: I was so ugly and fat, I just wanted to kill myself, really.”
She retired from the game in 1999, having won three Grand Slam titles.
Covidiots
Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was one of several top tennis stars who were slammed for partying during the pandemic.
While the official tennis tours were on pause to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, Djokovic – who was staunchly “opposed to vaccination” from Covid-19 – arranged a series of exhibition matches in 2020.
Alex Zverev, Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov were filmed clubbing with Djokovic at a cabaret club in the Serbian capital Belgrade during the tour.
When a video surfaced of him dancing in the nightclub, Djokovic faced backlash from fans and fellow players.
Shortly afterwards Dimitrov tested positive for coronavirus.
US player Andy Roddick tweeted: “Apparently there’s a pandemic…” in response to photos of the exhibition event.
Doping scandal
A dark shadow was cast over Maria Sharapova’s glittering career when she confessed to taking meldonium for a decade.
The Russian-born tennis star, whose five Grand Slam titles include one at Wimbledon, tested positive for the performance enhancing substance while playing in the Australian Open in January 2016.
But that was only three weeks after meldonium, which aids blood flow, had been outlawed in sport.
Sharapova was banned for 15 months and returned to competitive tennis in 2017 before retiring three years later.
Now 38, she retired in 2020 after losing in the first round of the Australian Open.
Match fixing
Daniel Koellerer, who turned professional in 2002, became the first tennis player to be banned for life in 2011 for attempted match fixing.
The Austrian, now 41, was found to have invited other players to fix games on five occasions between October 2009 and July 2010.
He was fined £63,041 – though this was lifted on appeal.
Koellerer reached a career-high ranking of 55 in October 2009.
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