Whenever it is Brazil vs Argentina, there are bound to be some strong emotions in the air, even at a lower-tier Challenger event. That was the case when top-seeded home favorite Gustavo Heide took on Argentina’s Lautaro Midon at the Copa Internacional de Tennis in Curitiba. The match was a one-sided victory for the Brazilian player, prompting a somewhat comical expression of frustration from his 22-year-old Argentine opponent.

When Heide won the final point to close out the win, the whole stadium erupted, cheering on the home favorite. However, on the opposite side of the net, Midon threw his racket in the air in frustration. The incident turned into a bit of a comical situation for the Argentine as the racket landed in the fountain right behind the court, from where he had to later retrieve it.

The Curitiba Challenger is played at the Graciosa Country Club, where the fountain is an integral part of the whole arena, and is right behind the Center Court. With Midon receiving from the fountain end of the court, it was not surprising that the racket landed straight into the water.

However, luckily for Midon, the racket did not hit any fans, officials, or his opponent. Even though he had lost the match, the Argentine could have faced hefty sanctions, including the loss of the points he had earned at the event and his prize money.

Should a racket throw hit a fan, official, or even the opponent, the player in question runs the risk of being defaulted from the match immediately. Even an accidental racket slip is enough to change the outcome of the match. Back in April this year, Deividas Bandzevicius accidentally flung his racket in joy after winning a tough three-set match against Emiliano Bratomi in an ITF event. However, as luck would have it, the racket went in the direction of Bratomi, who had to duck to avoid being hit. Regardless of intent, Bandzevicius was disqualified, handing his opponent the victory.

For Midon, the Curitiba Challenger was the first event in which the Argentine returned to action after more than a month, having lost in the opening round of qualifying at the US Open. He showed some good form in Curitiba, winning matches against the likes of Matias Soto and Bruno Fernandez, but was no match for Heide in the quarterfinals. Having beaten Midon, the top seed will face his compatriot Pedro Boscardin Diaz in the semifinals, ensuring one Brazilian player in the final.

Racket throws and smashed are quite common at the Tour-level events as well, with some of the top players often making a mess of their gear out of frustration.

Racket Throws and Smashes Are Quite Common at Tour-Level Events as Well

Even after the sanctions for possible defaults and code violations for racket abuse, racket throws, and smashes are still a common sight in tennis. No one has to look far beyond Daniil Medvedev, who is known for having a temper on court, which has seen him smash countless rackets, including the one he absolutely destroyed when he lost 0-6, 0-6 against Matteo Berrettini in Monte-Carlo this year.

The racket is seen taking the brunt of it all at the most high-profile matches as well. After losing the US Open final to Elena Rybakina this year, Aryna Sabalenka could not keep it in, as she smashed her racket on the ground before going to the net for the customary handshake.

Some events, especially the Slams, often impose strict restrictions on players not to smash the racket on the ground to protect the playing surface. That has unfortunately also seen players start hitting themselves with their rackets in frustration, with the likes of Andrey Rublev even bleeding mid-match after smashing the racket on his knees.

Players have tried to find alternative solutions as well, with Coco Gauff hitting her head with tennis balls in frustration during the US Open this year. The American had used the racket for the same purpose earlier this year, especially at Rome, but decided to use the balls, which were relatively safer and had a lower chance of causing injury.