Are tennis fans scarier than golf fans?

[BruceMGF]

Channel-surfing today, I happened across a few minutes of the French Open tennis tournament where the announcers (including John McEnroe and Mary Carillo) were discussing this incident:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/french/2015/05/24/roger-federer-fan-court-french-open/27878889/

They were both quite upset, saying that the tennis court is an inviolable sanctuary and that such incidents are "scary".  Of course, mention was made of the Monica Seles stabbing 22 years ago.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/monica-seles-stabbed-20-years-ago-forever-altering-201405495.html

Yes, that one was worse than "scary".  It was also one-of-a-kind.

Why is a fan coming onto a tennis court uniquely scary?  In the case of pro golfers, gallery ropes are hardly a barrier to a spectator determined to hurt a golfer.  Furthermore, golfers are routinely outside the ropes, among fans, whenever a shot is hit into the fariway rough or well off the green.  I don't think these situations are regarded as especially scary.

If you really want to think of a sport where competitors are exposed to ill-disposed fans, however, try bicycle racing.  Who needs any kind of weapon when you can upset a cyclist at top speed (say, descending a mountain)?  And try to provide security for a hundred miles or more of open road.  Not to mention cycling fans are routinely less well-behaved than golf or tennis fans.

[Abu3baid]

Channel-surfing today, I happened across a few minutes of the French Open tennis tournament where the announcers (including John McEnroe and Mary Carillo) were discussing this incident: [URL=http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/french/2015/05/24/roger-federer-fan-court-french-open/27878889/]http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/french/2015/05/24/roger-federer-fan-court-french-open/27878889/[/URL] They were both quite upset, saying that the tennis court is an inviolable sanctuary and that such incidents are "scary".  Of course, mention was made of the Monica Seles stabbing 22 years ago. [URL=http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/monica-seles-stabbed-20-years-ago-forever-altering-201405495.html]http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/monica-seles-stabbed-20-years-ago-forever-altering-201405495.html[/URL] Yes, that one was worse than "scary".  It was also one-of-a-kind. Why is a fan coming onto a tennis court uniquely scary?  In the case of pro golfers, gallery ropes are hardly a barrier to a spectator determined to hurt a golfer.  Furthermore, golfers are routinely outside the ropes, among fans, whenever a shot is hit into the fariway rough or well off the green.  I don't think these situations are regarded as especially scary. If you really want to think of a sport where competitors are exposed to ill-disposed fans, however, try bicycle racing.  Who needs any kind of weapon when you can upset a cyclist at top speed (say, descending a mountain)?  And try to provide security for a hundred miles or more of open road.  Not to mention cycling fans are routinely less well-behaved than golf or tennis fans.

In terms of scary how about those crazy soccer fans especially in Europe? Talk about taking things too seriously? With regards to the tennis it is unusual to see fans on the court indeed.. So they crash the courts for example after someone wins Wimbledon? The NFL used to have fans crash the stadium and the same with basketball and baseball and I'm pretty sure that doesn't happen with any of those anymore.. Well, maybe basketball I haven't paid attention. So, overall security has really tightened up in all sports because everyone is worried.. Your point about golf is interesting though, because how could you ever stop someone with bad intention? Very tough because of the nature of the sport and spectatorship of it (did I just make up a word? Sorry) Good post and very interesting topic.

[jamo]

Did they say it was "scary" or "uniquely scary?"

[BruceMGF]

Did they say it was "scary" or "uniquely scary?"

They didn't SAY uniquely scary but I thought it was implied.  The mentioned a tennis court as a sanctuary and no other sporting venue, when it's clear that there are sporting venues where players are far less protected (golf and cycling, as I mentioned.  You could add marathoning and triathlon among others).