A Classic Example of Sportsmanship
By Ken Reed
While most of this week in sports has been dominated by the “Deflategate” scandal surrounding the New England Patriots, we were also blessed with a great example of sportsmanship from the world of tennis.
Tennis great Rafael Nadal was on the ropes at the Australian Open during a second round match. In fact, he was on the verge of being knocked out of the tournament by an unknown qualifier from the United States, Tim Smyczek.
Nadal, who was struggling with fatigue, dizziness and nausea for much of the match, was serving in the fifth set, leading 6-5. But during a first serve toss, a fan hollered loudly from the stands, disrupting his service motion. Nadal’s serve flew long.
Smyczek quickly held up two fingers to the chair umpire, meaning Nadal should be allowed another chance to serve his first serve. The umpire granted Smyczek’s request. Nadal gave a gesture of thanks to Smyczek and then pumped a first serve that Smyczek was unable to return. The game ended up going to deuce before Nadal pulled it out, winning the set 7-5 and the match 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-5.
The story of the day at the Australian Open wasn’t who won or lost. It was Smyczek’s grand gesture during the final moments of a long match against Nadal. Undoubtedly, a win over Nadal would’ve been the biggest of Smyczek’s career. But Smyczek put “doing the right thing” ahead of a possible career-defining victory.
“I couldn’t make out what the guy yelled, but it was really loud, and it was right when he was tossing,” said Smyczek. “I know my parents would’ve killed me if I didn’t (give Nadal a re-serve). It was the right thing to do.”
Yes, it was the right thing to do. But he didn’t have to do it. There’s nothing in the rules requiring a replay. It’s likely that very few players would have the character to do what he did, when he did it.
Nadal was very grateful for Smyczek’s act of sportsmanship.
“I want to congratulate Tim — he’s a real gentleman for what he did in that last game,” said Nadal in an on-court interview after the match. “Not a lot of people will do this at 6-5 in the fifth … He’s a great example, what he did today.”
Nadal’s public relations manager, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, was even more effusive in his praise.
“I think he deserves the sportsmanship award for the next 10 years, and I’m going to be pushing for that,” said Perez-Barbadillo. “I’ve never seen that, and I’ve been in tennis for 19 years. Unbelievable.”
What a nice break from the inanity of the NFL’s “Deflategate.”
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #33 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Ken Reed Announces His Retirement and Chats With League of Fans Founder Ralph Nader – Ken and Ralph talk about the history of League of Fans and the reasons it was created. They then move into a discussion of a variety of contemporary sports issues that League of Fans has been working on in recent years. Ken and Ralph end by talking about the need for sports fans, athletes, and other sports stakeholders to get involved in the sports reform movement and be activists and change agents on issues important to them, whether that be at the local, state, or national level.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify and others.
Episode #32 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Prolific Author Joe Posnanski Joins the Show – Posnanski is one of America’s best sportswriters and has twice been named the best sports columnist in America by the Associated Press Sports Editors. We chat about his new book, “Why We Love Baseball,” his new Substack newsletter called Joe Blogs.
Episode #31 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Foul Ball Safety Is Still an Important Issue at Ballparks – Our guests are Jordan Skopp, founder of FoulBallSafety.com and Greg Wilkowski, a Chicago based attorney. We discuss the historical problem of foul balls injuring fans and why some teams are still hesitant to put up protective netting in some minor league and college baseball parks.
Episode #30 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The State of College Athletics with Dr. David Ridpath: Problems and Potential Solutions – Ridpath is a sports administration professor at Ohio University and a member of The Drake Group, a college sports reform think tank.
Episode #29 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The Honorable Tom McMillen Visits League of Fans’ Sports Forum – McMillen is a former All-American basketball player, Olympian, Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Congressman. We discuss the state of college athletics today.
Episode #28 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: A Chat With Mano Watsa, a Leading Basketball and Life Educator – Watsa is President of PGC Basketball, the largest education basketball camp in the world. We discuss problems in youth sports today.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- Reed Appears on Ralph Nader Radio Hour League of Fans’ sports policy director, Ken Reed, Ralph Nader and the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner discussed a variety of sports issues on Nader’s radio show as well as Reed’s updated book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan. Reed's book was released in paperback in February, and has a new introduction and several updated sections.
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Vanderbilt Sport & Society - On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss with guest Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director for League of Fans and author of How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books