By Stefan Dagher

When you mention the word “tennis” you arguably think of pristine or high-class sport. Tennis is a sport that is often associated with class and good etiquette. However, it is a sport where we’ve seen some of the nastiest athletes compete.

Make no mistake, if you are considered a bad boy in any sport, some people will look up to you. In football for example, bad boy Joey Barton has had his fair share of altercations with opposition players and even his own teammates. Former boxer Mike Tyson is arguably most known for biting an opponents ear clean off. Both of these men have the reputation of Bad Boys in their sports.

What about tennis? There have been more and more controversial things happening in the world of tennis. Whether it’s someone throwing their racket, arguing a call, swearing on live TV, wearing a controversial shirt – we simply can’t get enough of these guys.

Now that the tennis season has ended for another year, why not look at the top five bad boys of tennis.

Here are the five most controversial players tennis has ever seen:

5. ANDY RODDICK

Embed from Getty Images

A prime example of how being controversial automatically classifies you as a bad boy. Despite being number 1 for a couple of years, Andy Roddick came along after Agassi, and his prickly personality often showed itself during combative press conferences with reporters and on the court against officials. When he found himself losing or in a bad position, he would make sure he had someone to blame, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere around him.

4. ANDRE AGASSI

Embed from Getty Images

Probably the most surprising of the top 5, however Andre Agassi didn’t enjoy the typical tennis meltdowns like most of our bad boys. He was more of a rock and roll rebel who lived by the slogan of his famous line “image is everything”. Agassi was known for his wild haircut and of course his tennis skills but he wasn’t always Mr. Nice guy on the court. He’d tend to scream at his opponents for taking too long to serve or just telling his opponents to get on with it if they were contesting an umpires decision.

3. JIMMY CONNORS

Embed from Getty Images

If you weren’t born before the 80s you’ve probably never seen or heard of Jimmy Connors. As much as a champion he was, when the game wasn’t going his way he tended to moan and grumble for every point. He was tough, animated and certainly unpredictable.

2. NICK KYRGIOS

Embed from Getty Images

He is only 21 and there’s already so much to write about him that you could fill a book. Nick Kyrgios can be described as the modern bad boy of tennis. During games Kyrgios cannot keep his mouth shut. He has been involved in as many controversial acts on the court as the previous three put together. Whether it is abusing the officials, clashing verbally with a spectator or just giving up on a game altogether. With such a young career, all these actions could affect him long term, already receiving several bans for “conduct contrary to the integrity of the game”. Hopefully he will settle down and mature with age.

1. JOHN McENROE

Embed from Getty Images

The CHAMPION! Even if you are not the biggest fan of tennis you’ve heard his name. The most famous of all tennis bad boys, nobody in the history of the game can argue like him. He wasn’t scared of swearing at himself or officials (he has even hit a ball at an umpire.) It’s fair to say he wasn’t scared of anything. Later in life, he admitted he took heavy drugs in his younger age – maybe that explains his high-risk behaviour.