If you search the Internet, you may find plenty of heartwarming clips with tennis players celebrating with ball boys and ball girls after a win or athletes offering personal effects to fans.
But you may equally often find videos displaying temper tantrums and meltdowns showing tennis players shouting at umpires, smashing rackets to pieces, or gesticulating wildly at baselines.
The latest incident which prompted debate around how questionable behaviour should be punished in relation to point deduction, a game deduction or in some cases losing an entire match, took place last week after Daniil Medvedev reacted strongly during his 6-0, 6-0 defeat against Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo where he repeatedly smashed his racket into the ground which earned him a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.
At the same time, ATP subsequently fined him €6,000.
'If someone steps out of line, the whole world knows about it'
But while the subject of tennis players’ behaviour on the court is frequently discussed in the media today, Danish Davis Cup captain and former Wimbledon winner, Frederik Lochte Nielsen, points out that the problem was actually much worse if you go 10 or 20 years back in history.
“People behaved far worse in the past, when there wasn't as much attention as there is today with social media and cameras everywhere”, says Lochte Nielsen to Flashscore.
“If you compare it to the level where I played, people sometimes behaved really badly. I feel that players today behave much more respectfully than they did in the past.
"Nowadays, if there's someone who steps a little bit out of line, everyone knows it immediately, and I think that's what makes the difference compared to before”, explains Lochte Nielsen.
Tennis players today are generally considered much more professional, athletic, and meticulous in their preparation compared to previous generations.
Modern players focus heavily on diet, fitness, recovery, data analysis, and mental preparation to maintain their competitive edge, and that also has an impact on their behaviour on court, according to the Danish Davis Cup coach.
“Today, many players have teams around them who try to optimise every aspect of the game that may affect their performance, including the mental aspect, so often they won’t allow their opponent to see that they are really frustrated, which is also something we encourage in the Davis Cup team.”
Tennis players eager to protect their brand
“Players have become much more controlled in relation to what kind of signals they send out to maintain a good image. They also don't give much of themselves in interviews.
"In some ways, it has become a bit boring, and that is perhaps why there is today even more focus on when players step out of line, because people are a little hungry for the players to show some of their personality,” says Lochte Nielsen, who underlines that players today have turned into businesses or brands rather than athletes which also affects their behaviour.
“In the past, it was very much based on the sport itself and on performance, but today you are not just a player. You have become a brand, a business that you have to protect, and that has perhaps sterilised the sport in some ways at the same time, as there is today far more control in all aspects of the sport.”
Lochte Nielsen stresses that the issue of good behaviour is often discussed within the Davis Cup team, but also points out that he needs to have players who display their emotions during the game.
“We emphasise to the Davis Cup team that it is important that we represent the team and Denmark in the best way, but we are also human beings. I've played in the Davis Cup myself and also had my bad moments, so I know what it's like.
"Sometimes I might also miss that the players show some edge, because then you can see that it means something to them. Occasionally, it gets sterile and a little boring, and sometimes I want to see that the players are hurt when they lose.”
Do players have an obligation to be great role models?
Modern tennis players face significantly higher levels of pressure compared to earlier generations, driven by an unforgiving 24/7 digital environment, extreme physical demands, and intense financial volatility.
However, Lochte Nielsen believes, the media and general public lack understanding and appreciation of the pressure that tennis players face every day.
“I don't think people and the media have enough understanding of the pressure that the players are under. In the past, there was a general understanding that came along with having a slightly more personal relationship with journalists, which has somewhat disappeared, and today it is more about being able to do a quick story.
"But ordinary people today also can turn a fly into an elephant and make things go viral, even if it misrepresents things.”
Today it's often argued from many sides that athletes have an obligation to be great role models for future generations, but Lochte Nielsen argues that there are many different perspectives on that issue.
“I think players only have an obligation to do their best. It is not written anywhere that they must be good role models. It is, of course, fantastic if they are, but first of all, they are athletes.
"I think it's getting a bit tiresome with all the talk about how they are as people. It's clear that it creates publicity if they step out of line, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I myself value authentic behaviour more. After all, it's about people, and if we go and behave like robots, then I think it will be a bit boring.”
“You have an obligation to behave properly towards other people, but I don't think you should be judged for not being completely in control in situations where the world's attention is on you, and with the pressure that tennis players are under to produce results in the short time that one's career lasts.
"If one of my players smashes a racket in the Davis Cup, it's not the end of the world, but if they talk badly to other people, then it's probably something we need to talk about. So, I think it's all about putting things into perspective”, concluded Lochte Nielsen.