In all sports, people talk about sportsmanship, class, or grace following defeat. Unfortunately, many tennis players still have not mastered this skill. Rather than crediting the opponent, defeated players often sulk, ignore eye contact, or invent clever excuses. We've also known players who refuse to shake hands, insult their opponents or just pack up and bolt. The reasons are abundant and cannot all be listed here, but let's examine a few.
Some players become so obsessed with outcome that the cost of possible loss is magnified tenfold.
This kind of thinking may also set the stage for negative or disrespectful conduct toward the opponent following a defeat. Perfectionists usually develop their personalities by trying to please others, or live up to some impossible standard. So, after a loss, it's not too far removed to expect sour grapes since these players see their loss as just another personal failure rather than opponent success. The problem is that by acting nasty, these players further motivate their opponents for the next match, and lose support along the way. Another reason why some players fail to lose with grace is due to faulty expectations based in immaturity.