In Tennis, Hugging at the Net Is the New Handshake

Ugh with all the Hugs. Save them for special people and events. Not for every sundry hello and good-bye.

It depends on the circumstances of the match. If your opponent beats the snot out of you a hug could be interpreted as condescending. If the match is an epic struggle, yes the sentiment is there.

Whatever happened to the winner of a tennis match leaping over the net?

But in most cases, I'd guess, its not about "oh, my friend, great game, wish we both could have won"....its more about what is now the accepted or dare I say FADDISH thing of hugging and kissing. Has nothing to do with the U.S.'s "puritanical roots" as one poster here said. How many of us are truly descended from 16th or 17th century New Englanders ? Its a fad people.

This just shows how the old "show nothing" school of masculinity is changing. And that's a good thing, because having to hold everything inside all the time is not good for you, or the people around you - because it can lead to uncontrollable explosions of emotions instead. Having "feelings", as my dad used to say, is not only "OK", it's an indicator of someone who knows who he is because he's not afraid of who he is, or how he feels. Not showing any emotion used to be a hallmark of inner strength. Now, we are learning that showing how we feel sometime is what real strength actually looks like. Emotions are a river that is constantly flowing inside all of us. You can either ride those waves and eddies, by acknowledging them, or you can build a dam in a vain attempt to suppress them. And, eventually, all dams fail. I've always worn my heart on my sleeve. And I think it's great that that behavior is becoming more and more acceptable now. Even in the realm of the ultra-masculine world of professional sports. Men Are People Too!

For the longest time we noticed an open show of respect and affection between the men and a mere head nod and hand touch between the women. It is good to see that the ladies are becoming more comfortable expressing their affection too. Thank you Naomi O! Meanwhile, why does the pre match interviewer wish the women "good luck and have fun" while to the men he only wishes "good luck"? Perhaps we are witnessing some kind of double standard? Who can explain?

Naomi Osaka is a breath of fresh air for tennis! A class act. No raging ego. No tantrums. Just skill, hard work, dignity and good sportsmanship. I hope she starts a trend. Having said that, I hate the hug greeting. Give me a good handshake any day.

It s just another exemple of a cheezy internationalization of a US (recent) habut (through TV shows, music, award ceremonies, etc...) Handshakes are good enough in sport to display respect and recognition, no need for hypocritical demonstrations of fake love. Nobody hug in most part of the world (definitely not in France, Germany or Japan) but for exceptional circunstances... it does not prevent people to love their family and friends. I hate hugs, and 10 times more when they come from non US citizens :-)!

It's taken me long enough to figure out the proper stance and pose to avoid all the unnecessary handshakes and now I have to find a polite way to avoid all these "huggers".(The classic football stiff arm is bit too much) You can keep you emotional self over there please. Thanks.

At the start of every tennis match the score is love/love…so why not end every match the same way?

An article that would only be published in the US where we still struggle with the remnants of our puritanical roots. Hug away, all. It’s good for you.

We’ve (they’ve) totally devalued the hug. Watch, for example, the NBA and NFL draft where the commissioners spend the evenings in the embrace of each and EVERY draftee. Watch, for example, every middle school girl and every backwards cap bro hug it out on coming and going. And now this.Ugh. Hugs seem the go to greeting now everywhere and to everyone. It’s creepy. Hugs should be rare and special. No longer.

I’m pretty sure that Andre Agassi defeated Pete Sampras in the 2000 Australian Open semifinal, not the other way around. It was his second slam in a row, fourth final in a row and third win. Amazing period for him. I was surprised this article didn’t mention that hugging in tennis has roots in the late 80’s/early 90’s habit of cheek kissing started by Arantxa Sánchez Vicario after beating Steffi Graf in the shocking 1989 French final. Steffi actually took her cue and began doing the same after that, after having been a bit brusk in her earlier years net exchanges, especially with Navratilova.

It also could be close communication: "Bro. Good match, but I dont even know where the funk I am.. I need an uber back to JFK to make my flight. Where's the uber spot, do you know? Can you show me?"

Sounds fine to me!

I think this is all the news I need today.

And from looking the hug (who is hugging whom) you can tell who won :)

It is fantastic. Most of the players really do love and respect the others. Why denigrate something positive? Oh, I bet journalist there don’t hug each other.

If my memory serves me right at the Canadian Open in 1987 in Toronto Becker and Edberg played in the final. It was brutally hot and humid at court level and Edberg was just dripping sweat. But he gave his all and at the end of the match he was clearly exhausted. He approached the net head down and I feel certain that Becker gave him a kiss or bis on the top of his head. It seemed to be a tribute from the winner to a game well played by someone who was a friend. Maybe my memory is faulty but it seemed like a beautiful gesture to me. But then the Becker-Edberg friendly rivalry is unique. It inspired Federer to play and Edberg is his coach

All this hugging started with with gay men, who usually had no family and little opportunity for physical affection. A handshake was for greeting newcomers, not "family." I saw the custom gradually adopted by younger straight people in our gayborhoods with some cynicism, but I get they liked what they saw. I don't think anyone's been hurt.

Hugs and more hugs...what the world needs now.

As a lifelong tennis player, this is a non-story. Professional athletes are leading the way in showing sportsmanship and humanity. Vive la hugs!

It's another manifestation of touchy-feelingness in today's informal society, the logical extension of addressing strangers and elders by their first names. I cringe on the inside and usually stick out my arm for a handshake when I see someone I hardly know approaching in hug mode.

You often see boxers, after absorbing the best of their opponent's machismo, embrace after the final bell. After brutally going mano a mano in the ring, the hug isn't remotely seen as a feminine gesture to the pair. There's respect, empathy, sorrow and gratitude imparted via this brief visceral contact. It seems that, given the physical battle of epic tennis matches, a final point embrace shouldn't be an anomaly.

This might be bigger than tennis. 31, white, male here and I've noticed more of my guy friends hugging as greetings and departures. Always been that way with women for me as a handshake or little wave feels kind of distant for friendly, heterosexual exchanges. Most of my friends are pretty liberal but it seems like guys especially are less obsessed with seeming macho, which for me is a handshake or something traditional. The hug feels a bit more feminine and warm for me, generally speaking.

Nothing could make more sense than tennis players embracing at the end of a match. Who else could more completely understand the emotions of a tennis player than your immediate adversary, the person whom you just defeated, or the person who just defeated you? Particularly in a professional tournament, where one's opponent, even if not immediately one's performance peer, is likely on a trajectory that peaks (and troughs) at similar altitudes, whether in the past, present or future, the 19 year old facing the 38 year old. two competitors at the beginning, middle or near the ends of their careers. Where one's opponent most likely shares one's hopes, dreams, sacrifices, commitments, memories. Other than one's family and loved ones, who else is more qualified to embrace you, with few or even no words, more meaningfully, more satisfyingly, than the person with whom you've both endeavored to be your best? Is this not, if only for the duration of the match, your ultimate coach, your ultimate partner?

Great article. I've always liked how soccer players (and football players to a lesser degree) on opposing teams hug each other after a game. In soccer they're most likely in a league on a team made up of players from many different countries and they reconvene when they're teammates playing for their country and likewise in international tournaments players from opposing countries will hug their teammates from their leagues. In professional football and basketball you'll often play against people they played high school or college ball with. Having said all that, I've never seen this much hugging in tennis but am happy to see it. How great it must feel after a stinging loss to get a hug. Naomi Osaka reminded us at the post match press conference that “Tennis is a solo sport”. Sure you have your coaches, trainers and family for support but during the match, it's just you out there. I think it signals that your opponent realizes that it could just as easily been them on the receiving end of the loss. It also is acknowledgement that as hard as you train and as much as it means to you, at the end of the day — win or lose — it's just a game.

I love this! The competitors show their love and respect for the sport and the process of competition, not the win. Advanced and evolved humans. Yes!

Man, we can use all the hugs we get nowadays. And this from a cat who is not a big fan of the PDA! Bring it in. Hug it up. Peace.

Tennis is the only game where children typically accompany the athlete onto the court, hand-in-hand. I love that moment, as it humanizes everyone and often shows a bit of the personality of the player. Some even talk to the child. Some of the children take control of the moment, shepherding in the player in rather grand fashion. The hug at the close of a match sort of closes that circle of empathy. That is nice.

Sometimes, you just need to hug-it-out.