Ah, tennis. That noble battlefield of well-do-do folk with their squeaky clean whites, polite claps, and ever so polite grunts that somehow manage to sound deeply personal. For a sport built on hushed crowds, politeness and strawberries and cream, tennis has also delivered some serious comedy gold.

From players accidentally poking umpires in the eyes to those who decide to take on the role of stand-up comic, here are some of the times when tennis put a smile on our faces!

One in the Eye

Let’s cast our minds back to the 2017 Australian Open. Canada’s Denis Shapovalov was just 17 and a bit wet behind the ears. He probably hadn’t been around long enough to learn how to curb his enthusiasm… or temper. Or maybe he was mimicking John McEnroe’s famous ‘good loser’ characteristics. Whatever it was, it didn’t do him well… as he ended up smashing a ball in frustration—unfortunately, accidentally hitting the umpire in the eye. Okay, not particularly funny for the umpire, but the moment the crowd realized that a gangly teenager had just disqualified himself by beaning an adult in a white chair was very much a “Did that actually just happen?” moment!

Serena Williams vs. The Bee

Serena Williams is a star! She’s a 23-time Grand Slam champion. She has literally stared down the best and beaten them all… every single one of them. But in 2016, at the Indian Wells Masters, her toughest opponent yet showed up: black, yellow… and a little bit angry. An extremely determined bee.

Serena was obviously not a fan… and started to entertain the crowd by screaming, ducking, dancing… and eventually calling for help when the bee didn’t want to leave her alone. She didn’t seem too amused, but the crowd did. The umpire also looked a bit perplexed. And Serena—the G.O.A.T.—was knocked off her perch by a tiny little insect… no longer Queen Bee of the court!

It just goes to show, no matter how fierce you think you are, a tiny insect can still make you look like a laughing stock!

Murray’s Masterclass in Sarcasm

When Murray retired, we lost a master. A master of sarcasm and witticisms, that is! Britain’s best, Andy Murray, has definitely made a side hustle out of delivering those deadpan one-liners and his Wimbledon interviews are famous for being drier than the Centre Court grass after a heatwave.

When he was once asked what it felt like to be the first Brit to win Wimbledon in over 70 years, Murray blinked at the reporter and replied quite seriously, “Male player.” Thanks, Murray… doing it for the women! As the reporter had quite obviously forgotten to include the legendary female tennis icon that was Virginia Wade, who won Wimbledon for the Brits in 1977.

Even when he’s losing, his mutterings can sometimes be so (unintentionally) hilarious that they have to cut the mic. Indeed, his success on Centre Court was legendary—you might not find him in the latest Wimbledon odds, but his legacy will never be forgotten!

The Great Goran Ivanisevic Meltdown

Goran Ivanisevic, the Croat with the insane serve, is a tennis legend—partly because of that serve… and partly because he didn’t care for playing by the rules.

In the 2000 Samsung Open, he actually smashed every single racket in his bag—all four of them. And when the umpire asked if he wanted to continue, Ivanisevic simply replied: “I have no rackets left.”

He literally ended up disqualifying himself by obliterating his own equipment. If that’s not iconic, I’m not sure what is!

Who Let the Dogs Out

Sometimes the crowd gets involved in the most unexpected ways. And there was nothing predictable in 2019 when, during a Challenger match in Brazil, a stray dog sprinted onto the court mid-rally, stole the ball, and went on to stage an unstoppable and unforgettable victory lap.

The players paused, the umpire found it mightily amusing, and the pooch even got a standing ovation. The match had to be restarted, but it was already decided… the dog won the crowd and the match in heart and spirit.

Why We Love a Bit of Tennis Comedy

Sure, we watch tennis for world-class athleticism and action, but we stay for the moments when everything unravels and the human side and spirit show through. And even in the high-class world of tennis, we're reminded that sometimes you just have to laugh.