Love to tennis player, game to the media
It has been revealed that a newspaper has won game, set and match, against a young tennis player after he sued the media source which claimed he was the worst player in the world.
The teen Brit promised to file a compensation claim against dozens of websites and newspapers to defend his name and reputation from being batted out the tennis court grounds.
The professional player has seen 54 straight-set losses on the international circuit but vowed to enlist the help of no win no fee solicitors after a string of media outlets dubbed him ‘the worst player in the world.’
As a result, he went straight into the game and sent out legal letters demanding apologies and damages. However, one paper refused to back down, despite the risk of huge legal bills.
He sued for defamation, arguing the piece exposed him to ridicule and could damage his ability to work in the tennis world in the future.
His barrister pointed out that the teen had won professional games on a Spanish domestic circuit during his 54-match losing streak on the international circuit.
The paper that got the strawberries and cream
The case then went to the High Court, where a judge confirmed that the evidence supplied by the newspaper was sufficient to justify the description ‘world’s worst.’
Mrs Justice Sharp ruled: “The incontestably true facts are that the Claimant did lose 54 matches in a row in straight sets in his first three years on the world ranking ITF / ATP tournaments on the international professional tennis circuit, and that this was the worst ever run.”
She furthered that there was “no additional obligation” on the paper to prove that the player “is objectively the worst professional tennis player in the world, in terms of his playing skills,” and that the characterisation was “simply a consequence of his unprecedented record of defeats”, she stated.
She explained: “It seems to me, despite the way the matter has been pleaded, that the real complaint here is one of ridicule: that is, not merely of incompetence or lack of skill, but that the claimant was made to look ‘absurdly bad at tennis.”
She said that a “reasonable and sensible reader” would not think the suggestion he was the “the world’s worst” tennis player was a “free standing and objectively verifiable allegation independent of his record of losses in the 54 matches played all around the world”.
She concluded: “In my view it is clear that it is being said, that the claimant was the world’s worst, in the sense that he had the world record for the longest losing streak of 54 matches on the international professional tennis circuit.”
Despite the player losing his match against the paper, he did win several games against other press associations and has been awarded thousands of pounds in settlement money.
Updated on 5/18/2010