Audio By Carbonatix
Times are tough for American men’s tennis, which desperately needs a colorful character like John McEnroe or Andre Agassi to revive national interest in the sport. It’s not enough for him to be talented; this player has to be a fiery competitor who will either hit an amazing shot or hurl his racket in disgust at a line judge’s call.
Meet Thai Kwiatkowski, a 15-year-old phenom from Charlotte who has been training in Boca Raton. The Charlotte Observer reports that when Kwiatkowski was 12, he was suspended for three months by the USTA for accumulating three code violations for “racket and ball abuse” during a one-year span. To be clear, these were instances where Kwiatkowski was angry at himself, not a judge or opponent. But he’s definitely got the passion we’re looking for.
Video of Kwiatkowski in action, after the jump.
Sorry, but I couldn’t find video of Kwiatkowski displaying his temper. But here he is winning a junior tournament.
