Crazy Court Calls

Past and present ATP physiotherapists tell of the most bizarre court calls they have received...

Bill Norris
Jeff Tarango once hid a $20 bill in the towel and asked me if I could go and get him a beer because he was playing so badly and only a beer would help. When I said that I could not, he said, "keep the $20 anyway".

At Wimbledon, Andre Agassi asked me to put sun block on his shaved head.

Humphrey Hose, from Venezuela, split his shorts in Davis Cup because his butt was too big. And he needed a new pair.

During a Davis Cup tie, umpire Frank Hammond fell asleep in the chair and I slipped an ammonia capsule under his nose to wake him.

Per Bastholt
Guga Kuerten once called me out and asked for a pair of scissors. He wanted to cut a lock of hair that was dangling from his forehead and distracting him during play.

Richard Krajicek once asked me out onto the court during a final and his excuse was to tape his little finger. But what he really wanted to know was the standing of the Formula One Grand Prix race being held at the same time.

Paul Ness
I was once called to the court because a player had been stung by a bee on his behind through his shorts.

Doug Spreen
I got called to court because a player had some food stuck in a tooth and wanted a tooth pick.

Once a player wanted to stop playing the match because he was "mentally" exhausted.

I was called during a doubles match because the player wanted some ChapStick for his chapped lips.

I went to a court for a doubles match, when one player had hit his partner by accident and caused a really bad cheek laceration that needed six stitches.

Hugo Gravil
I was called onto Stadio Pietgrangeli in Rome, which is very far from our office. I ran for a long time and arrived only to be asked, "Do you have a nail clipper?" This guy could and should have cut his nails before going on court but sometimes they wait for us to do it.

Clay Sniteman
A few players have had sore lips and have asked me for Vasseline.

While I was treating a player during a match, they wanted to know the Super Bowl score.