opinion

OKAY ENOUGH. Things are getting out of hand at the US Open, guys.

Another day at the US Open, another tennis player flagrantly flashing their torso flesh to an unwilling audience.

During Thursday’s quarter final match against John ‘The Federer Slayer’ Millman (a.k.a. the Aussie tennis player who doesn’t make us want to renounce our citizenship), world number six Novak Djokovic changed his shirt court-side.

Images from the tournament show the 13-time grand slam winner luxuriating in his nudity, exposing his bare nipples (!) to crowds at Arthur Ash Stadium.

Covering up, at last. Image: Getty.

(At least Millman had the decency to change off-court. You know, in a CHANGING room. Sure, it halted the game for six whole minutes, but still.)

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Mr Djokovic, we implore you: forget the soaking fabric chafing your pits, forget the "sauna"-like conditions on court, and consider the sensibilities of tennis fans. We don't need to see your chiselled, athletic body.

After all, there are rules against such disgu... What?

There aren't?

That didn't seem to matter when French women's player Alize Cornet adjusted her backwards shirt during a first-round match last week.

The world number 31 was slapped with a code violation, after she spun her top around on court, giving the crowd a brief glimpse of her back and sports bra. It wasn't strictly against the rules, but chair umpire Christian Rask put his foot down anyway.

Yet despite the threat of entirely illegitimate penalties, it seems Cornet's peers have learned nothing.

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer all stripped off at this year's US Open, almost as if they've being doing it unchecked for years.

PUT. THEM. AWAY. RAFA. Image: Getty.
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Milos Raonic. Image: Getty.
Roger Federer. We think. Image: Getty.
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Andy Murray. Image: Getty.
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Marin Cilic looking (rightfully) guilty. Image: Getty.

Somehow these men managed to avoid penalties for their exposures.

Perhaps the code violations are coming. Perhaps they'll be imposed retroactively. A sort of bulk fine at the end of the competition, or... or even the season.

We'll wait.