Sensationalism has always been an unfortunate element of journalism. Right now, it is a necessity owing to the fiercely competitive landscape where hundreds of online platforms are vying for people’s attention. However, despite the prevalence of sensationalism, ethics matter at the end of the day, as sensationalism can often blur the truth. Something similar happened recently after a digital tennis-centric tabloid published an article concerning tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

The article’s title contained the word ‘humiliating’ while referring to Nadal’s possibility of slipping out from the top 100 in the ATP Tour rankings owing to his injury-enforced absence. Unsurprisingly, some prominent figures in the tennis world were not impressed with the tabloid.

Rafael Nadal article draws staunch criticism from Andy Roddick and Rennae Stubbs

Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick took to Twitter and launched a scathing attack on Apple News for publishing the piece. Roddick stressed on the poorly formed title and how it reflected a lack of intelligence.

In his tweet, Roddick said, “What a dumb stupid headline……. Rafa will never have humiliating associated w his life. Guy does everything right. This is dumb.”

Soon after, Roddick’s tweet was retweeted by former Australian player Rennae Stubbs, who works as a coach and a commentator these days. In her retweet, the former coach of Serena Williams wrote, “1000 times this!!! What the hell is this guy thinking with this article and headline!!! So it’s humiliating to get injuries!??? What!!!!???”

Read More: Will Rafael Nadal Resume His Tennis Journey at the French Open 2023?

Why is the word ‘humiliating’ unjustified?

2023, so far, has been a year to forget for the ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard, who will turn 37 in June, picked up a hip muscle injury at the Australian Open. Initially, Nadal’s medical team believed he would be out for 6 – 8 weeks. However, he failed to recover within the expected timeframe, and is now a serious doubt for the 2023 French Open.

Of course, if Nadal fails to recover in time for the French Open, he may find himself out of the ATP Tour’s top 100. However, the fact is that Nadal is recovering from injury, which is one of the most unfortunate things that a professional athlete has to accept. As a result, using the word ‘humiliating’ brought out some strong reactions from the tennis world, especially the fans of Rafa.

Do you think the article went overboard with their choice of words?

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