Mental frustration can rear its ugly head in the sporting world with players acting out in differing ways. We’ve all seen how Nick Kyrgios deals with his problems, and on the flip side, haven’t seen an ounce of it when it comes to young talents like Ben Shelton. But, there are repercussions. And, no, I’m not talking about the ATP’s sanctions. According to the latest revelation, a specific racquet company also looks to settle scores with players who induce their on-court rage on rackets.

Take Kyrgios for instance. The Aussie has shredded to bits, presumably hundreds of rackets during his career. Having gained the tag of ‘Bad Boy of Tennis’, the 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist has garnered a reputation for his outlandish antics. Consequently, it turns out that the Aussie might have stumbled upon a bad patch with his sponsor, Yonex. Surprisingly, Ben Shelton confirmed this.

At the US Open, the American sensation briefly mentioned how the Japanese company forbade players from smashing their rackets. Furthermore, if an unfortunate incident as such takes place, Yonex fines their sponsored athletes a hefty amount. “My racket company fines you for every racket you break. As a professional, I haven’t broken any.” Subsequently, Shelton’s remarks gained traction amongst fans who were bewildered by the regulations’ existence, eliciting Ben Rothenberg to chime in and address the topic.

In a post on X, the acclaimed sports writer confirmed that Yonex regularly practices this directive. Mentioning how the Japanese culture condemns players’ aggravation on their equipment, Rothenberg also cited the company executives’ reproval of Kyrgios’ frequent racket wrecks. “This is true about Yonex, yes, I think it’s uniquely a cultural thing for the Japanese company to have little patience for racquet-smashing petulance. Kyrgios, I know, has gotten chidings from Yonex execs for his racquet demolitions.”

The company’s unorthodox approach has seen the light of the day before. Notably, a player directly associated with the Japanese brand shed light commented on similar lines after an athlete lost their cool on the court.

Ben Shelton’s remarks were drawn after Stan Wawrinka’s comments on Yonex’s regulations

Earlier this season, the tennis world saw an unsettling side to Alexander Bulbik. The Kazakhstani talent smashed three rackets after trailing behind 0-6 in the decider tiebreaker against Gregoire Barrere at the Open Sud de France, attracting heavy fines from the ATP. Witnessing the aggressive gesture, Stan Wawrinka pointed out that Yonex will send him a bill as well.

Taking to social media, the Swiss ace mentioned that “Yonex will send him a small invoice too” for Bulbik’s racquet abuse. Later, journalist Marcos Zugasti explained how “since 2017, Yonex began to put clauses in several of the contracts with its players to charge them a fee for each racket they break in matches. And the Japanese comply: you get the discount invoice.”

Naturally, frustration will have to take a backseat for Ben Shelton. Testing as it seems, the American hasn’t cracked yet, despite crashing out in the third round of the US Open. Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Yonex’s unusual regulation? Do let us know in the comments.