Nicolas Xiviller’s sporting career has taken him from professional tennis to a successful run in padel, where he has won multiple titles on the US circuit. But the former Uruguayan tennis pro is now making headlines for all the wrong reasons after being arrested in Miami on charges of assault, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

The incident took place at a sporting goods store in Doral, Florida, where Xiviller had visited to buy tennis rackets. However, as captured vividly by the in-store cameras and by the employee’s narratives, the former ATP pro took out a tennis racket and started to swing it wildly in the store, causing damage to other goods and even risking the safety of the staff and other customers inside.

Xiviller then took another racket in his hand and smashed it on the ground. The cameras also caught him threatening the employees as they attempted to calm him down. In another disturbing series of events, Xiviller smashed his hand and head on the door of the shop once he got out. Following this, he had to face some severe consequences.

Authorities were prompt in making the arrest on the same day. Moreover, a judge set Xiviller’s bond at $5,650, including $5,000 for the aggravated assault charge, $500 for criminal mischief, and $150 for disorderly conduct, while granting him release on his own recognizance for the assault charge. The bail was set at over $6,000, taking into account the value of the goods he damaged during his outburst. However, Xiviller is not the first former tennis player to find himself in legal trouble.

In 2018, former pro Justin Gimelstob was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading no contest to an assault charge. Meanwhile, Bernard Tomic also had a run-in with law enforcement in 2015, when he was arrested following an incident involving disorderly behavior in public.

For Xiviller, though he did not have much success on tennis courts, he made a transition to padel a few years ago, where he has a smooth career so far.

Nicolas Xiviller Made a Switch From Tennis to Padel a Few Years Ago

As a tennis player, Xiviller did not have much success, as he never played at any Tour-level event and struggled to reach the latter rounds of ITF and Challenger events. His most notable singles moment came at the Davis Cup in 2015, when he beat Russel Moseley from Barbados during a playoff tie. He fared a bit better in doubles, reaching three ITF finals with different partners.

However, in 2021–22, Xiviller made the switch to padel and began pursuing the sport professionally on the domestic circuit in the United States. His breakthrough came in 2026, when he captured a USPA 250 title in March and followed it up with a runner-up finish at a USPA 750 event, establishing himself as one of the top 10-ranked players on the US circuit.

Speaking about the transition in a 2023 interview, Xiviller admitted that moving from tennis to padel required him to rework several aspects of his game. While padel demands far greater use of slice shots, he joked that one thing remains familiar: the smash.

At the time of his arrest, Xiviller was associated with several padel clubs in Miami, including the Ola Club and the MGT Padel Club, where he worked as a coach and honed his skills as a professional padel player.