Alexander Bublik says ATP trying to put players in 'cages' with stricter punishments, defends Nick Kyrgios

ByJames Walker-Roberts

Updated 11/04/2022 at 17:04 GMT

The ATP have said they will "take a stricter stance in judging violations of the code of conduct" after high-profile incidents this season involving Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios and Jenson Brooksby. While the move has been welcomed by most, world No.36 Alexander Bublik says he is "not a fan" of the move and does not think it is "good for sport".

Alexander Bublik says the ATP are trying to put players in “cages” by introducing stricter conduct punishments and believes there should still be room to express emotions.

The ATP are attempting to crack down after several players stepped over the line this year.

Alexander Zverev was disqualified from the Mexican Open after smashing his racquet against an umpire’s chair while Nick Kyrgios almost hit a ball boy with a racquet he smashed on the floor at Indian Wells.

ATP Monte Carlo

Djokovic eases past Safiullin to reach third round, Zverev overcomes Offner

09/04/2024 at 22:57

Kyrgios has also been fined for outbursts in Indian Wells and the Miami Open, and Jenson Brooksby hit a ball boy with a racquet he flung in anger in Miami.

While many current and former professionals have called for stronger punishments, including bans, world No.36 Bublik is not totally on board with the idea.

“Nick brings tonnes of fans, what are they here for?” he told Tennis Channel.

• ATP warns players will face stricter punishments
• Djokovic returns in Monte Carlo: What to look out for

“This is sport, it’s supposed to be a bit of emotion and they try to put in some kind of a cage where we cannot talk. I am 24 and I see who brings attendances and fans to the game. Have you ever seen doubles fans? No. He brings doubles fans.

“Sometimes he does something not appropriate for tennis and they want to make a cage even tighter for us. I don’t think it’s good for sport, maybe if you are 65 and you come with your grandkids and they don’t want to hear bad words, but the reality is in America the stadiums were full. Australia they were filled, everywhere.

“For me I am not a fan of it, we should have more room. I think we need people who bring attendances. Of course you cannot do certain things and you need to be punished, but let us talk, don’t look at us every minute when we talk.”

Marion Bartoli has described as "outrageous" the lack of punishment handed down to Zverev and said he should have been banned.

"That to me deserved at least a three-tournament suspension, not play Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, it deserved that at least, otherwise where do you draw the line?" the 2013 Wimbledon champion told Tennis Majors.

"The fine was a big amount for normal people, but for tennis players such as Alexander Zverev who earns so much on and off the court that was not that much – I don’t think he will learn the lessons he should have learned.”

Watch the shocking moment Zverev attacks umpire’s chair with racquet

Bublik won his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday, beating three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in three sets.

Despite the result, Bublik was not too impressed with his display and thinks Wawrinka would have won if he wasn’t making his first appearance on the ATP Tour in 13 months.

“I wish him a speedy recovery because I did not deserve to win this match.

“It’s clay court, I am running like an elephant, I cannot stop, I cannot explode, I cannot do anything. We all hope he will back on top of the game very soon.

“On clay even with his recovery from injury he is the better player than me. In three months from now, three and three [6-3 6-3], thank you very much, I go peacefully to the beach.”

Bublik, 24, also joked about who’s next on his list after playing Andy Murray and Wawrinka this year.

‘We need to punish him accordingly’ – Wilander says Zverev return ‘too soon’

“For me it’s Andy twice this year, Stan today, I need Carlos Moya to come back and play him, or Roger [Federer]!”

Bublik faces 13th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round.

He says he is already looking forward to the end of the clay season.

“I wish the clay will end and we go onto grass,” he told Amazon Prime.

“There was no match from my side, I hate clay, that is a statement - I hate this surface!

"I don’t think I turned anything around, he was not very healthy at the end of the second set and third set. It’s a clay court, it’s not for me."

Australian Open

Kyrgios on Djokovic tree-hugging, 'inspiring' Murray, Wawrinka and more

19/01/2024 at 12:11

Australian Open

Osaka, Berrettini, Wozniacki: Why danger lurks in draws even without Nadal

09/01/2024 at 08:36

ATP Stockholm

Evans suffers shock exit in Stockholm, Wawrinka cruises through

17/10/2023 at 20:38